,KY 


THE 

REAL  AMERICA 

IN  ROMANCE 

By 

JOHN   R.  MUSICK 

WITH    READING    COURSES 

Being  a  Complete  and  Authentic  History  of  America 
from  the  time  of  Columbus  to  the  Present  Day 

Forty  Illustrations  In  Photogravures,  One 
Hundred  Half-Tone  Plates,  Maps  of  the  Period 
and    Numerous  Pen-and-ink  Drawings,   by 

F.  A.  CARTER 

fl\ 

««1S 

y 

WM.  H.  WISE   &  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK           —  J909—                 CHICAGO 

COPYRIGHT,  1906  AND  1907.  BT 

FUNK  &  WAGNALLS  COMPANY 

Bntered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 

[Printed  In  the  United  State>  of  America] 


U  738 


THE    REAL    AMERICA    IN    ROMANCE 


Volume  I 


COLUMBIA 

The  Age  of  Discovery 


By 


JOHN     R.MUSICK 


ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

FREELAND  A.  CARTER 


47349 


WM.   H.   WISE    &  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  —  J909  —  CHICAGO 


COPYRIGHT,  1891,  BY 

JOHN    R.   MUSICK 

COPYRIGHT,  1906, 1907  AND  1908,  BY 

FUNK   &  WAGNALLS    COMPANY 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 

[Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America] 


Brirtrattnn 


TO  MY  MOTHER 


FROM   WHOSE  LIPS   I   FIRST  LEARNED   THE  STORY  OF  COLUMBUS,   AND 

WHO  SOUGHT  BY  HIS    LIFE  TO  TEACH    ME  TO   PERSEVERE  IK 

TRUTH    AND    RIGHT    TO    A  TRIUMPHANT    END,   THIS 

VOLUME    IS    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED. 


v 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE 

The  world's  greatest  historians  to  the  present  time 
have  sought  to  put  the  interest  of  fiction  into  their 
work,  but  they  have  been  so  limited  by  the  narrative 
style  adopted  that  only  a  few  of  the  greatest  have 
been  even  fairly  successful.  The  vast  majority  of 
histories  never  have  been  and  probably  never  will  be 
read  outside  of  a  limited  circle  of  tireless  students. 

In  "The  Real  America  in  Romance,"  the  author 
has  actually  used  the  medium  of  romance  to  give  an 

authentic  account  of  our  country's 
Romance  and      ,        ,  * 

History  Success-  development>'  and>  lnstead  of  read- 
fully  Blended  ing  about  historic  characters  and 
events,  we  see  the  characters  them 
selves  in  action  and  live  with  them  through  the  de 
velopments  of  their  day  and  generation.  The  reader 
loses  himself  completely  in  the  irresistible  fascination 
of  the  story,  and  the  impressions  are  made  on  the 
heart  as  well  as  on  the  mind.  This  is  distinctly  the 
difference  between  the  narrative  style  and  that  of 
the  novelist.  You  do  not  merely  read  about  Colum 
bus:  you  endure  with  him  his  hardships,  share  with 
him  his  disappointments,  and  rejoice  with  him  in  his 
achievements;  you  actually  feel  the  thrill  of  discovery 
when  the  New  World  is  found.  The  author  does  not 


ii  THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

merely  tell  you  that  Washington  wintered  at  Valley 
Forge  with  his  army,  in  pitiable  distress.  He  takes 
you  right  into  the  camp,  shows  you  the  torn  and 
bleeding  feet  of  the  soldiers,  makes  you  stand  watch 
with  the  half-fed  sentries,  with  little  to  warm  your 
body  save  the  fiery  determination  to  die  of  cold, 
hunger,  or  British  bullets,  rather  than  give  up  the 
fight  for  your  country. 

The  purpose  of  this  work  has  been  to  make  the 
reading  of  history,  which  is  commonly  looked  upon 

as  downright  drudgery,  a  matter  of 
The  Purpose  i  ,   , 

t    i      ™7    i     genuine  pleasure,  and  to  so  present 
of  the  Work     ' 

the  story  of  our  country's  develop 
ment  that  the  reader  will  be  able,  without  mental 
effort,  to  retain  the  knowledge  acquired.  Romance 
and  authentic  history  are  blendad  to  their  mutual 
advantage,  and  so  wonderfully  well  has  the  author 
succeeded  that  one  may  read  merely  for  recreation 
and  at  the  same  time  acquire  a  comprehensive  knowl 
edge  of  the  four  hundred  years  of  American  develop 
ment. 

As  a  means  of  interesting  beginners  in  the  study 
of  American  history,  of  enlisting  their  enthusiasm 
and  impressing  upon  their  minds  correct  and  lasting 
conceptions  of  the  significance  of  historic  events,  as 
a  stimulus  to  memory  and  a  preparation  for  a  more 
earnest  pursuit  of ( the  subject,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  these  romances  far  excel  the  ordinary  school 
text-books  upon  which  the  average  citizen  is  content 
to  rely  for  his  knowledge  of  our  country's  develop- 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE  iii 

ment.     It   is  the  common  experience  of  students 
that  knowledge  acquired  from  the  study  of  a  narra 
tive  history  is,  at  best,  retained  by  the  mind  in  a 
chaotic  state.    This  work  has  been  prepared  in  the 
belief  that  even  the  advanced  student  will  be  able 
by  the  reading  of  these  romances  to  form  more  defi 
nite  and  lasting  impressions,  which  serve  as  a  founda 
tion  for  the  information  acquired  from  other  sources. 
Franklin's  old  saying,  "Necessity  is  the  mother 
of  invention,"  is  just  as  applicable  in  the  field  of  lit 
erature  as  in  the  world  of  science. 
iscovery  -^  wag  ^e  necessity  for  sucn  a  work 
of  the  Idea 

that  led  the  author  to  prepare  this 

publication.  John  R.  Musick  was  for  years  Professor 
of  History  and  Literature  in  one  of  our  Western  col 
leges.  He  had  among  his  students  a  number  born 
of  Scottish  parents,  who  had  passed  through  our 
high  school.  He  found  that  they,  along  with  their 
co-students,  knew  practically  nothing  of  American 
history  when  they  entered  college;  yet  these  same 
students  were  intimately  acquainted  with  Scottish 
historic  characters  and  events.  After  making  a 
searching  investigation  as  to  the  reason  for  this,  he 
found  that  not  one  of  them  had  ever  studied  Scottish 
history  as  such,  but  they  had  read  Sir  Walter  Scott's 
Waverley  novels,  to  which  they  had  had  access  in  their 
homes  from  childhood.  The  author  carried  this 
thought  in  his  mind  for  several  years  and  during  this 
time  he  often  discussed  with  the  leading  educators 
means  by  which  the  study  of  American  history  could 


iv  THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

be  made  more  interesting.  He  was  finally  persuaded 
by  these  men  to  take  up  the  work  himself,  and  "The 
Real  America  in  Romance,"  to  which  he  gave  the  rest 
of  his  life,  is  the  result  of  this  idea. 

This  is  not  a  new  principle.  Froebel's  experiments, 
made  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago,  established  the 
psychological  value  of  interest  and  demonstrated  that 
recreation  could  be  used  for  educational  purposes. 
The  kindergarten,  an  international  institution,  has 
grown  out  of  those  experiments,  and  the  student  of 
educational  methods  will  recognize  in  "The  Real 
America  in  Romance"  a  still  broader  application  of 
these  well-established  principles. 

The  idea,  briefly,  is  to  weave  the  whole  four  hun 
dred  years  of  American  development  into  a  series  of 

fascinating  romances;    and  this  has 

The  Plan  of  ,1  j    .1  ,r  •>•, 

„  enabled  the  author  to  hit  upon  a 

the  Series 

unique  plan  of  dividing  the  history 

of  our  country  into  generations  instead  of  epochs, 
as  most  historians  have  done.  He  believes  that  the 
true  way  to  study  history  is  to  go  beneath  the  surface 
and  follow  the  undercurrent.  All  the  upheavals  in 
society  are  the  result  of  thought  movements  which 
have  driven  men  into  action,  and  these  changes, 
which  are  commonly  called  epochs,  have  come  with 
the  changes  in  generations.  He  has,  therefore,  divided 
the  history  of  America  into  thirteen  average  lifetime 
periods  and  has  woven  the  important  events  and  in 
cidents  of  each  generation  into  a  dramatic  whole;  but 
in  doing  so  has  made  no  historical  sacrifices.  The 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE  v 

historic  characters  of  each  generation  have  been 
woven  into  the  romance,  but  the  author  has  taken  no 
liberties  with  them.  His  aim  has  been  to  help  the 
student  realize  history  by  making  him  live  through 
the  several  generations  and  become  intimately  ac 
quainted  with  the  historic  characters  who  have  built 
up  our  institutions.  The  author  believes  that  the 
most  important  part  of  historical  study  and  the  truest 
of  all  histories  is  that  which  treats  not  merely  of  the 
happenings  of  war  and  bloodshed,  but  of  the  growth 
of  man's  ideas  and  institutions.  He  believes  that 
anyone  who  has  lived  through  the  life,  feelings,  and 
thoughts  of  the  past  has  received  that  truly  historical 
education  that  fits  him  for  the  life  of  the  future.  His 
constant  aim,  therefore,  has  been  to  make  the  reader 
live  through  the  thirteen  generations  of  American 
development,  in  order  that  his  life  may  become  co 
extensive  with  the  life  of  the  nation. 

Each  volume  is  full  of  life  and  plot,  complete  in 
itself,  covering  a  distinct  period  of  history;  yet  all 

are  skillfully  connected  in  one  un- 
Greatest  Serial   ,      ,  , . 

i?       1*7-  -^        broken    series  —  extending    over    a 
Ever  Written 

period  of  more  than  four   hundred 

years  —  making  it  the  greatest  serial  ever  written. 

In  Volume  I  the  romance  is  woven  around  the 
career  of  the  boy  who  accompanied  Columbus  on  his 
almost  hopeless  wanderings  from  court  to  court  and 
sailed  with  him  on  his  voyages  of  discovery.  The 
author  gives  him  the  classic  Spanish  name,  Her- 
nando  Estevan.  In  the  intimacy  which  springs  up 

Vol.1— B 


vi  THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

between  Columbus  and  the  boy,  a  strange  story  is 
told  of  the  mysterious  disappearance  of  the  lad's  noble 
father.  Many  remarkable  adventures  occur  in  the 
course  of  unraveling  the  mystery  and  a  dainty  love 
story  runs  through  the  whole.  The  scene  changes 
from  Spain  to  the  New  World  and  later  to  Granada. 
The  hero  of  the  story  finally  settles  in  San  Domingo 
and  his  descendants  become  the  central  characters  of 
the  succeeding  volumes. 

In  Volume  IV  two  of  Hernando  Estevan's  great 
grandchildren  are  kidnapped  by  the  crew  of  Sir 
Francis  Drake,  who  had  been  commissioned  to  de 
stroy  the  Spanish  settlements  in  the  West  Indies  and 
on  the  coast  of  Florida,  and  were  carried  back  to 
England,  where  the  name  was  anglicized  to  Stevens. 
One  of  these  boys  landed  with  the  Pilgrims  at  Ply 
mouth  in  1620,  the  other  settled  in  Virginia,  thus 
forming  a  northern  and  a  southern  branch  of  the 
family.  The  change  in  the  name  is  significant.  It 
marks  the  beginning  of  English  domination  and  the 
decline  of  Spanish  influence  in  the  New  World.  This 
is  traced  throughout  the  series,  until,  at  the  close  of 
the  Spanish- American  War,  Spain  forfeits  the  last 
vestige  of  her  control  in  the  Western  Hemisphere.  In 
this  war  are  two  direct  descendants  of  Hernando 
Estevan,  one  with  Dewey  at  Manila,  the  other  with 
Roosevelt's  Rough  Riders  in  Cuba. 

Eighty  per  cent  of  the  material  in  our  public  li 
braries  is  fiction,  and  practically  the  only  calls  for 
books  are  for  this  class  of  literature.  If  one  reads  at 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE  vii 

all,  he  reads  fiction.    It  is  safe  to  assume  that  most 
of  the  knowledge  of  history  acquired  by  the  average 

reader  is  through  the  reading  of  such 
Romance  as  an  bookg  ^  are  uguaU    clagged  ^  «hig_ 

Educational  .    „        '  t 

Medium        toncal  novels.       The  object  of  most 

of  such  productions  is  merely  enter 
tainment,  and  great  liberties  are  often  taken  with 
historic  characters  and  events  to  make  them  suit  the 
purposes  of  fiction.  Nevertheless,  it  may  well  be 
questioned  if,  with  all  their  distortions,  the  average 
reader  will  not  obtain  a  truer  and  more  lifelike  view  of 
a  period  from  a  historical  novel  than  from  the  average 
text-book  on  the  subject.  The  recognition  of  this  fact 
furnished  the  motive  for  the  production  of  "The  Real 
America  in  Romance,"  but  the  author  employed  fic 
tion  as  a  means,  not  as  an  end,  and  made  every 
thing  subservient  to  the  main  object  of  teaching 
history  and  impressing  its  lessons. 

No  one  to-day  will  dispute  the  fact  that  knowl 
edge  acquired  in  a  pleasant  and  entertaining  manner 

is  much  more  easily  and  permanently 

retained  than  that  derived  from  con- 
Lasting 

stant  effort  and  hard  study.  We 
have  no  trouble  in  recalling  stories  read  in  childhood 
and  can,  without  mental  effort,  live  them  over  again. 
The  history,  however,  which  we  really  labored  to 
master,  at  the  same  impressionable  age  in  life,  is  for 
gotten  with  the  exception  of  a  few  romantic  incidents 
here  and  there,  such  as  the  Courtship  of  Miles  Stand- 
ish  and  the  Story  of  Pocahontas.  The  incidents 


viii          THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

commonly  used  by  novelists  to  portray  characters 
in  fiction  are  not  more  interesting  in  themselves 
than  those  in  the  lives  of  real  historic  characters. 
If  one  were  to  take  merely  the  incidents  used  by  the 
novelist  to  delineate  his  characters  and  put  them 
into  a  narrative,  the  most  interesting  romance  ever 
written  would  become  just  as  dull  and  uninteresting 
as  any  history.  Does  anyone  believe  for  a  moment 
that  the  vicious  literature  of  the  present  day  would 
be  any  menace  to  society  if  written  in  the  same  narra 
tive  style  as  our  histories  ? 

It  is  universally  conceded  that  Boswell's  Life  of 

Johnson  is   the   greatest   biography 

New  Plan  of     , ,     ,    i  •,  •,,  -r> 

_.  that  has  ever  been  written.     Bos- 

Biography 

well  himself  was  one  of  the  greatest 
scholars  of  his  day,  and  had  for  his  subject  "the 
brightest  ornament  of  the  eighteenth  century;"  yet 
the  most  careful  study  of  the  Life  of  Johnson  will  not 
enable  the  reader  to  get  as  close  to  the  man  as  he  does 
to  Jean  Valjean  in  a  superficial  reading  of  Victor 
Hugo's  "Les  Miserables."  The  incidents  in  the  life 
of  Samuel  Johnson  are  not  less  interesting  in  them 
selves  than  those  which  the  novelist  used  to  portray 
the  character  of  Jean  Valjean,  but  the  methods  em 
ployed  by  these  authors  are  entirely  different.  Bos- 
well's  masterpiece  is  written  in  narrative  style,  while 
Victor  Hugo's  "Les  Miserables"  is  a  romance. 

John  R.  Musick  has  used  the  same  means  to  make 
the  reader  intimately  acquainted  with  the  historic 
characters  of  America.  It  is  an  entirely  new  method 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE  ix 

of  writing  biography.  He  has  surrounded  the  real 
characters  with  typical  men  and  women  of  their  day, 
and  has  done  for  the  thirteen  generations  of  American 
life  what  Balzac  in  his  "Comedie  Humaine"  did  for 
one  generation  of  French  life.  The  reader  becomes 
just  as  intimately  acquainted  with  the  great  charac 
ters  of  history  as  with  Sydney  Carton  in  Dickens' 
"Tale  of  Two  Cities"  or  Little  Nell  in  "The  Old 
Curiosity  Shop." 

The  boys  of  to-day  will  fill  the  important  places  of 
to-morrow,  and  while  the  citizen  is  in  the  making 

there  is  nothing  of  more  importance 
Importance  of    ,,  ,,  , .        ,. 

th   Sub'    t  n  a  ^norough  preparation  for  in 

telligent  citizenship.  A  man  must 
know  history  before  he  can  help  to  make  it.  He 
cannot  vote  wisely  or  be  a  valuable  citizen  without 
a  conception  of  what  his  forefathers  have  striven  for 
and  what  it  has  meant  for  them  to  win  or  lose.  He 
must  bring  himself  into  full  sympathy  with  the  true 
American  spirit;  in  other  words,  he  must  first  of  all 
catch  up  with  the  past.  Education  along  these  lines 
is  the  most  important  training  he  can  have  to  prepare 
him  for  citizenship.  Without  a  knowledge  of  the  his 
tory  of  his  country,  one  can  make  no  pretense  to 
education.  It  is  as  much  of  an  impertinence  to  dis 
cuss  the  necessity  of  a  knowledge  of  history -with  a 
man  of  education  as  it  is  to  discuss  the  necessity  of 
education  itself.  History  is  the  most  broadening, 
stimulating,  and  instructive  of  all  studies.  It  alone 
teaches  the  earthly  reward  that  awaits  courage  and 


x  THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

cowardice,  vice  and  virtue;  it  alone  teaches  the  true 
philosophy  of  life. 

The  boy  who  stands  on  the  shoulders  of  a  tall  man 
is  able  to  see  farther  than  the  man,  and  we  who  to-day 
stand  on  the  shoulders  of  the  great  men  of  America 
may  be  able  to  see  farther  into  the  future  than  they 
have.  President  Roosevelt  says,  "The  success  of  the 
Republic  is  predicated  upon  the  high  individual 
efficiency  of  the  average  citizen."  In  these  days  of 
money-mania  and  public  distrust,  when  so  many 
"great"  men  have  fallen  from  their  pedestals  and 
stand  revealed  in  their  true  colors,  it  is  refreshing  to 
turn  back  through  these  pages  and  become  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  early  heroes  and  patriots,  the 
men  who  laid  the  foundations  of  this  Republic.  The 
lessons  learned  from  their  lives  will  never  be  forgotten. 
Their  undaunted  patriotism  are  our  highest  ideals 
—  all  that  is  good  and  true  and  lasting  in  our  Repub 
lic  to-day.  No  more  shining  examples  of  heroic  self- 
sacrifice  can  be  found  in  the  history  of  any  nation. 
These  men  are  the  world's  beacon  lights  of  liberty, 
and  no  better  preparation  for  citizenship  can  be  pro 
vided  than  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  these  six 
hundred  historic  characters. 

The  illustrations  form  a  most  important  feature 
of  the  work,  adding  as  much  to  its  historical  value  as 

to    its    attractiveness.     The    artist, 

A  Historical      , ,      -,-,      ,       ,    .     ~  .  . 

Picture  Gallery  Mr>  Freeland  A-  Carter,  is  a  man  of 

well-known  ability  and  wide  infor 
mation.  He  stands  in  the  front  ranks  of  American 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE  xi 

book  illustrators.  He  has  done  his  work  in  a  thor 
oughly  conscientious  manner.  Before  beginning  his 
drawings,  he  carefully  studied  the  author's  plan  and 
purposes,  as  well  as  the  manuscript  of  the  books, 
and  consulted  the  best  authorities  as  to  the  costumes 
and  environments  of  the  people  of  each  period  cov 
ered  by  the  work.  As  a  result,  the  drawings,  of  which 
there  are  nearly  four  hundred,  not  only  are  pleasing 
in  an  artistic  sense,  but  they  add  in  a  marked  degree 
to  the  vividness  of  the  historical  narrative  and  the 
charm  of  the  romance;  and  they  present  much  val 
uable  information  concerning  the  people,  their  dress 
their  movements,  and  their  surroundings  that  could 
not  be  told  in  words. 

The  use  of  the  Historical  Index,  to  be  found  at 
the  end  of  each  volume,  will  avoid   any   confusion 

arising  in  the  mind  of  the  reader  as 
The  Historical   ,         ,  .  ,     .          ,,       ,•      i-  ,  j 

to  which  is  authentic  history  and 
Index  i  •  i     •  . 

which  is  romantic  material.     Only 

the  names  of  the  real  historic  characters  and  actual 
events  appear,  and  this  enables  the  reader  who  has 
absolutely  no  knowledge  of  the  subject  to  separate 
the  history  from  the  fiction.  The  index  serves  the 
further  purpose  of  adding  greatly  to  the  value  of  the 
series  as  a  reference  work. 

The  Reading  Courses,  comprising  the  fourteenth 

volume  of  the  series,  were  prepared 
The  Reading  , ,  .  .  r     T^J    • 

„  under    the    supervision    ot    Jbdwin 

Courses 

Markham,    the    distinguished    poet. 

Not  only  do  they  form  a  guide  to  the  systematic 


xii  THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

reading  of  the  thirteen  romances,  but  they  are  full  of 
interesting  and  illuminating  material  and  will  be 
found  very  entertaining  reading  in  themselves. 

The  first  few  centuries  of  our  history  were  little 
more  than  a  continuation  of  the  quarrels  that  origin 
ated  in  European  countries.  It  is 
imP°rtant  therefore  that  we  study 
the  development  of  our  own  country 
in  connection  with  the  history  of  those  European 
nations  from  which  the  first  settlers  came  and  by 
which  the  subsequent  course  of  America  has  been 
influenced.  Not  the  least  valuable  feature  of  these 
Reading  Courses  are  the  sketches  of  European  his 
tory,  which  have  been  introduced  to  illuminate  the 
beginnings  of  our  own. 

The  arrangement  of  the  notes  is  first  by  page  and 
then  by  subject,  the  idea  being  that  the  reader,  ad 
vancing  from  page  to  page,  will  no- 
Arrangement    ,.      .,.  ,  •          i 

,   *  tice  it  any  comment  is  made  upon  a 

of  Notes  J 

subject  on  which  he  is  not  fully  in 
formed.  The  note  gives  all  the  explanation  which  is 
thought  necessary  to  make  the  point  entirely  clear,  to 
impress  the  historic  lesson  conveyed,  or  to  make  more 
distinct  the  thread  of  events  which  the  reader  might 
allow  to  slip  in  following  the  romance  too  closely. 
These  Reading  Courses  are  especially  valuable  in 
directing  the  work  of  beginners  and,  if  preferred, 
may  be  reserved  by  the  teacher  or  parent,  who  may 
arrange  the  lessons  in  the  manner  outlined  and  give 
orally  the  instruction  suggested  by  the  notes.  The 


THE  PLAN  AND  SCOPE  xiii 

Romances  and  Reading  Courses,  taken  together, 
provide  a  complete  text-book  to  the  history  of  the 
United  States,  a  guide  to  its  study,  and  a  thoroughly 
equipped  instructor  always  at  hand  with  suggestions, 
assistance,  and  illuminating  information. 

The  outlines  have  been  arranged  upon  the  as 
sumption  that  about  six  months'  time  should  be 

devoted  to  the  series,  in  order  that 
Arrangement     ,,       .    ,.  ,.  ,  , 

,  -.  the  information  conveyed  may  be 

of  Courses 

well  digested  as  the  reading  pro 
ceeds.  This  arrangement  is,  of  course,  not  hard  and 
fast  and  may  be  modified  according  to  circumstances. 
Each  course  is  divided  into  readings  of  about  the  same 
average  length,  but  varying  considerably  according 
to  the  relative  amount  of  historic  and  romantic  matter 
in  each  chapter  —  the  readings  being  longer  where 
the  romantic  prevails.  The  thirteen  romances  are 
divided  into  nearly  two  hundred  readings,  which  may 
be  regarded  in  the  nature  of  entertainments;  and  it 
is  predicted  that  these  two  hundred  evenings  of  enter 
tainment  will  be  more  helpful  and  the  benefits  more 
lasting  than  two  hundred  evenings  spent  in  hard 
study. 

Into  these  Reading  Courses  has  been  thrown  all  the 
information  which  it  has  been  thought  would  serve 
in  any  way  to  make  the  text  more  complete,  interest 
ing,  and  instructive.  The  aim  has  been  to  enable 
the  reader  to  read  these  thirteen  romances  with  the 
same  intelligent  appreciation  the  author  possessed 
in  his  preparation  of  the  series. 


xiv          THE  REAL  AMERICA  IN  ROMANCE 

Last,  but  not  the  least  valuable  feature,  come  the 
Questions,  a  set  for  each  volume, 
which  bring  out  the  important  facts 
in  our  country's  development. 

"The  Real  America  in  Romance"   is  the  only 
authentic  history  of  any  country  written  in  romance. 

By  combining  the  interest  of  fiction 
Only  Authentic  with   the  educational  value   of   nis_ 
History  in  ,11 

Romance  *ory>  ™e  author  has  given  us  a  new 
type  of  literary  achievement  and  has 
placed  himself  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  world's  his 
torians.  It  is  with  no  small  degree  of  pride  that  the 
publishers  announce  the  completion  of  a  task  that 
has  never  before  been  attempted. 

WM.  H.  WlSE  AND  COMPANYo 


PREFACE 

THE  belief  is  common  that  fiction  should  be  heip- 
ful  as  well  as  entertaining.  Well-written  historical 
novels  have  always  been  regarded  with  favor.  Bare 
historical  facts  stripped  of  romance  are  dry  reading 
to  the  majority  of  the  millions;  and  as  history  is  full 
of  romance,  why  withhold  it  ?  No  land  is  more  fertile 
in  song  and  story  than  the  New  World;  its  discovery 
is  like  a  fairy  tale,  and  its  discoverer  a  hero  of  enchant 
ment.  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  tell  a  new  story,  but 
rather  to  narrate  in  a  new  form,  an  old  but  ever  inter 
esting  one  and  bring  before  the  public  some  faces  that 
may  be  new  to  the  general  reader.  Great  care  has 
been  taken  to  have  historical  events  and  dates  correct, 
and  not  to  confound  truth  with  fiction.  While  the 
information  we  have  attempted  to  give  in  this  volume 
is  presented  through  the  medium  of  romance  we  be 
lieve  it  will  profit  as  well  as  entertain  both  the  young 
and  the  old. 

We  must  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  for  the 
chief  incidents  in  this  narrative  to  a  host  of  celebrated 

XV 


xvi  COLUMBIA 

writers,  among  whom  are  Las  Casas,  Dr.  Chanca, 
Peter  Martyr,  and  he  who  stands  pre-eminently  great 
among  American  writers,  Washington  Irving.  Hav 
ing  conscientiously  performed  this  duty  to  the  best 
of  our  ability,  we  submit  the  effort  to  a  generous 

public. 

JOHN  R.  MUSICK. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS        .....  1 

CHAPTER  II. 
CHRISTINA  OVILARES  ...... 

CHAPTER  m. 
THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  .  '.  .  .  . 

CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  .  .  .  .. 

CHAPTER  V. 
THE  FALL  OF  THE  CRESCENT  .  .  ... 

CHAPTER  VI. 
AGAIN  DENIED  .  .  .  .  .  . 

CHAPTER  VH. 

AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS    .  .         .         .         us 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  .         .         .         .         .         132 

CHAPTER  IX. 
SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  .  ,  .  .  145 

CHAPTER  X. 
THE  MUTINY  .  .  .  ..  .  JQI 

CHAPTER  XI. 
LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  .  .  .  .  176 

CHAPTER  XII. 
SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  ....  193 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

FORT  NATIVITY    .  ...         .  210 

xvii 


xviii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

DESERTED  —  THE  STORM 229 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  ASSASSIN  FOILED 249 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
RETURN  TO  PALOS        ......         263 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
A  LESSON  FROM  AN  EGG       .....         276 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

FATHER  AND  SON 292 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
EMIGRATION          .......         308 

CHAPTER  XX. 
DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE     .         .         .         322 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
THE  FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CITY  OF  THE  NEW  WORLD  .         336 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
A  LOST  BROTHER  RETURNS  ....         348 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO  .         .         .         363 

CHAPTER  XXIV: 
COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS   ......         375 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

TEMPEST-TOSSED 397 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SHIPWRECK 417 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
To  THE  RESCUE 428 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
CONCLUSION 439 

HISTORICAL  INDEX        ......         444 

CHRONOLOGY         .        .  465 


LIST   OF  ILLUSTRATIONS, 


PAGE 

Christopher  Columbus,  Photogravure.          .          Frontispiece 
Hernando  Estevan-  .......         1 

Jewel  of  Moorish  architecture     .....         3 

The  Mosque  of  Cordova     ......         5 

An  Andalusian  village       ......         9 

The  wild,  rocky  shore        ......       12 

Typical  landscape     .          .          .          .          .          .          .18 

Crow-bait         .  .          .          .         .          .          .20 

The  firm  arm  of  the  picador  held  him  at  bay        .          .       21 

The  chulo         .          .  23 

Some  one  seized  the  lad  and  placed  him  out  of  danger.       26 
Christopher  Columbus        .          .          .          .          .          .       27 

"God's  out-of-doors"  in  Andalusia     .          .          .          .31 

Mountain  domes  that  towered  into  the  heavens   .          .       33 
"Is  he  slain,  Duke?"         ."        .          .         .          .          .       38 

Christina  Ovilares     .          .          .  "       .          .          .          .46 

Ivy-covered  bridge  .          .  '       .          .  ' .  .          .       47 

"Peace,  lad,  say  no  more."         .          .  .          .51 

The  treasures  of  learning  were  immured  in  monasteries  .       63 
The  great  cosmographer    .          ...          .          .          .66 

Salamanca       .          .          .          .         .  '  .          .69 

Moorish  ruins  .          .          .          .          .          .         .          .77 

Cordova  .          .          ...          .          .          .81 

Columbus  in  convent  of  La  Rabida,  Photogravure        .       83 
Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon        .          .          .          .  .       85 

Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon       .          i  '       ."-..".          .       87 
In  the  Alhambra;  seat  of  Moorish  power     .  89 

"Look/'  whispered  the  lad,  seizing  Columbus  by  the 

arm;  "he  is  my  uncle  Garcia!"         ....          .       92 

Specimen  of  Gothic  Architecture         .         .        '..         .95 

Miguel  the  mutineer  ;  .         „         .         .         ,98 

xix 


xx  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Moorish  tower.          .         .         .          .         ...          .  102 

Columbus  before  Queen  Isabella  Photogravure     .          .  104 

Columbus  recalled,  Photogravure        ....  130 

Port  of  Palos,  Photogravure       .         »         *       \  •         •  148 

The  departure  from  Palos           .          .                   ,         .  154 

The  mutiny     ........  178 

Discovery  of  land,,  Photogravure        ....  194 

Landing  of  Columbus        .          .          .          .         .          .  198 

"  What  I  am  about  to  say  may  cost  me  my  life."    .         .  203 

Neuvitas .........  206 

Baracoa  .........  211 

The  open  gardens     .......  214 

The  shipwreck          .          .          .          .          .         .          .  218 

A  cacique  and  his  wives    .          .          .          „         .         .  220 

A  multitude  of  natives      ......  241 

Seville .273 

The  golden  tower,  Seville;  so  called  because  it  received 
the  gold  which  the  Spanish  ships  brought  from 

America 278 

Outside  the  city  gate         .          .          .         .         ...  285 

The  hamlet  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains     .          .          .  299 

War-hardened  Moor           .          .          .          .          .          .  302 

An  Indian  village     .          .          .          .         .         .          .  333 

Vegetation  of  the  New  World    .....  345 

Along  the  coast  of  Cuba    .         .                   .         .         .  351 

Wilderness  of  islands         .          .          .         .         .          .  353 

The  Admiral  was  greatly  moved  by  the  simple  eloquence 

of  this  untutored  savage           ....  357 

The  arrest  of  Columbus     ......  392 

Columbus  in  chains  .......  394 

TheAlhambra          .......  398 

The  deserted  cottage         .         .         .         .         .         .  400 

Map  of  the  period     .......  418 

The  Mosquito  Shore  .         .          .         .         .         .421 

Along  the  Gold  Coast        .         .         .         .         .         .  422 

The  coast  of  a  savage  country   .  440 

Death  of  Columbus,  Photogravure      .  442 


COLUMBIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   HORNS    OF   TAURUS. 

MANY  names  once  familiar  in  Spanish  history  have 
been  forgotten,  or  are  so  entangled  in  the  threads 
of  fiction  as  to  be  of  doubtful 
origin.  Among  those  still 
clinging  to  history  by  the 
slenderest  cords  of  truth  is  the 
once  well-known  name  of  Es- 
tevan.  At  times  it  was  lost 
to  the  world,  but  after  a  few 
decades  again  appeared  under 
the  magical  touch  of  some  poet, 
novelist,  or  historian;  and  in 
the  dim  twilight  of  church 
legend  are  to  be  found  a  thou 
sand  stories  of  this  once  powerful  family.  Spanish 
romance  has  enshrined  it  in  imperishable  lines,  and  it 
is  destined  to  live  as  long  as  the  language  is  spoken. 

The  name  Estevan  is  a  peg  on  which  countless 
charming  inventions  have  been  hung.  Spanish, 
Christian  and  Arabian  poets,  ballad  writers,  and  an 
cient  chroniclers,  historians  to  whose  heads  the  wine 

Vol.  1—1  1 


HERNANDO  ESTEVAN. 


2  COLUMBIA 

of  these  delightful  legends  has  too  frequently  mounted, 
have  made  of  "Estevan"  the  incarnation  of  their 
own  subtly-woven  fancies. 

The  origin  of  the  family  is  not  known.  Not  being 
directly  related  to  the  throne  of  any  of  the  provinces, 
no  chronicler  has  ever  troubled  to  investigate  its  gene 
alogy.  They  are  mentioned  in  the  Arabian  chronicles 
of  the  Cid,  a  sort  of  professional  highwayman,  who 
is  himself  wrapt  in  a  mythical  veil. 

In  his  day  none  was  more  loyal  to  the  house  of 
Castile  than  Philip  Estevan,  a  prominent  Spanish 
grandee  and  a  gallant  knight,  who  fell  in  battle  at 
about  the  age  of  fifty.  He  left  two  sons,  Roderigo 
and  Garcia,  and  a  large  estate  to  be  divided  be 
tween  them,  with  promises  of  ancestral  honors  for 
each.  Nearly  two  centuries  of  the  history  of  the 
Spanish  provinces  in  the  peninsula  is  largely  a 
record  of  minorities  and  civil  wars;  and,  during  this 
time,  the  Estevan  family  had  won  its  share  of  honors 
in  the  conflict.  The  provinces  divided  their  time 
between  fighting  each  other  and  their  common  enemy, 
the  Moors,  whose  occupation  of  Spain  forms  one  of 
the  most  splendid  episodes  in  all  history.  "They  were 
a  nation  without  a  legitimate  country  or  name,  a 
remote  wave  of  the  great  Arabian  inundation,  cast 
upon  the  shores  of  Europe.  They  seemed  to  have 
all  the  impetus  of  the  first  rush  of  the  torrent." 
Within  twenty  years  they  had  conquered  nearly  the 
whole  of  Spain,  from  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar  to  the 
Cliffs  of  the  Pyrenees,  and  had  Charles  Martel  failed 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  3 

at  Tours  to  roll  back  the  surging  tide  of  Moslem  con 
quest,  all  France,  all  Europe  might  have  been  over- 


JEWEL  OF  MOORISH  ARCHITECTURE. 

run  with  the  same  facility  as  were  the  empires  of  the 
East.  This  was  one  of  the  most  important  battles 
in  the  world's  history  and  saved  western  civilization 


4  COLUMBIA 

from  hopeless  retrogression  and  ruin.  "But  for  it, 
perhaps  the  interpretation  of  the  Koran  would  now 
be  taught  in  the  schools  of  Oxford." 

In  architecture,  literature,  science,  industry,  manu 
facture,  and  agriculture,  the  Spanish  Moors  were  far 
in  advance  of  any  northern  European  race  at  that 
date.  No  other  people  in  western  Europe  could  have 
then  built  a  cathedral  like  the  Mosque  of  Cordova. 
The  cities  of  Arabian  Spain  became  the  centers  of 
Christian  students,  who  came  from  all  countries  to 
instruct  themselves  in  the  useful  arts.  In  philosophy 
and  the  terms  of  mathematical  and  astronomical 
•science,  they  have  left  their  impress  on  most  of  the 
languages  of  western  Europe. 

With  all  this,  however,  the  Moslem  empire  in  Spain 
was  a  brilliant  exotic  that  took  no  permanent  root 
in  the  soil  it  embellished,  and  after  eight  hundred 
years  —  a  period  nearly  as  long  as  has  passed  since 
England  was  subjugated  by  the  Norman  Conqueror 
—  they  were  annihilated,  and  the  exiled  remnant  of 
this  once  powerful  empire  disappeared  among  the 
barbarians  of  Africa.  The  Moors  had  no  reserve  of 
civilization  or  of  increasing  resources  to  fall  back  upon 
in  northern  Africa;  they  were  degenerating,  while 
behind  Christian  Spain  was  a  Europe  ever  growing 
more  civilized  and  richer  in  resources  of  every  kind. 
The  conquest  was  retarded  by  the  divisions  and  civil 
wars  of  the  Christian  kingdoms,  which  finally  united, 
and  the  fiery  courage  of  the  Arabs  was  at  length  sub 
dued  by  the  persevering  valor  of  the  Goths.  A  few 


6  COLUMBIA 

broken  monuments,  such  as  the  Alhambra,  are  all  that 
remain  to  bear  witness  to  their  power  and  dominion. 

Roderigo  and  Garcia  Estevan  developed  into  man 
hood  at  about  the  time  the  numerous  petty  kingdoms 
of  Spain  —  Castile,  Aragon,  Navarre,  and  the  Moor 
ish  kingdom  of  Granada  —  were  being  gradually 
amalgamated  into  one  comprehensive  nationality, 
to  enter  upon  the  arena  of  European  politics  and  form 
a  nation  that  was  to  be  one  of  the  great  powers  of 
earth.  The  brothers  were  of  the  ricos  hombres,  or 
higher  class,  which  acted  in  war  or  peace  like  so  many 
independent  sovereigns. 

During  the  reign  of  Enrique  (Henry)  IV.  of  Castile, 
that  kingdom  fell  into  violent  civil  war.  Enrique 
was  known  as  The  Impotent,  and  the  revolutionists 
were  determined  that  his  brother,  Alfonso,  should 
rule  in  his  stead.  Alfonso  dying,  however,  the  crown 
was  restored  to  Enrique  on  his  formally  naming  his 
sister  Isabella  as  his  heir.  The  proclamation  of  Isa 
bella  as  successor  to  Enrique  and  heiress  to  the  crown 
of  Castile  and  Leon  was  preceded  by  prolonged 
intrigue,  for  Enrique  attempted  to  place  his  daughter 
on  the  throne  against  the  wishes  of  his  subjects. 

Being  now  more  than  ever  a  brilliant  matrimonial 
object,  Isabella  was  beset  with  numerous  proposals 
of  marriage,  and  chose  among  her  many  suitors  the 
gallant  Ferdinand  of  Aragon. 

The  marriage  was  not  looked  upon  with  favor  by 
Enrique  and  his  advisers.  The  Marquis  of  Villena 
even  threatened  imprisonment  for  Isabella.  While 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  7 

in  peril  of  being  seized  by  him,  she  was  taken  to  Val- 
ladolid,  guarded  by  a  band  of  faithful  knights,  among 
whom  were  Roderigo  and  Garcia.  To  Valladolid 
came  Ferdinand  from  Castile,  disguised  as  a  mer 
chant.  So  impoverished  were  both  that  money  had 
to  be  borrowed  to  defray  bridal  expenses.  Both  Es- 
tevans  —  Garcia  and  Roderigo  —  were  present  at  the 
wedding,  and  Garcia  thereafter  remained  steadfastly 
among  their  following.  Roderigo  joined  the  king, 
Enrique  IV.,  serving  him  till  the  monarch's  death  in 
1474.  True  to  her  promise,  Isabella  made  no  attempt 
to  wrest  the  throne  from  her  weak  brother  while  he 
lived;  and  now,  at  his  death,  she  assumed  govern 
ment  with  little  opposition.  At  Segovia,  December 
13,  1474,  in  the  public  square  of  the  quaint  old  Cas- 
tilian  city,  surrounded  by  gorgeously  clad  function 
aries,  invoking  the  blessing  of  heaven  on  her  reign, 
Isabella  was  solemnly  proclaimed  queen.  The  tableau 
was  heightened  by  the  glorious  Andalusian  sunshine, 
the  fantastic  old  colonnaded  houses,  the  singularly 
beautiful  situation  of  the  city  with  its  grouped  and 
castellated  hills,  the  lofty  presence  of  the  majestic 
and  slender-columned  cathedral,  and  the  countless 
variegation  of  clanging  bells,  floating  standards,  Te 
Deums,  and  brilliant  costumery.  Garcia  Estevan, 
who  had  already  grown  to  be  a  favorite  with  Fer 
dinand,  was  the  herald  first  to  proclaim: 

"Castile!  Castile!  for  the  King  Don  Ferdinand  and 
his  consort  Dona  Isabella,  Queen  proprietor  of  these 
kingdoms  ! " 


g  COLUMBIA 

Both  brothers  were  soon  in  a  fair  way  to  win  high 
and  equal  place  in  the  good  graces  of  the  new  sov 
ereigns.  But  Garcia  would  not  rest  content  with 
divided  favor.  He  was  of  an  envious,  jealous  nature, 
and  mtfre  inclined  to  hoard  up  wealth  and  honors 
than  to  seek  that  fame  and  renown  which  his  more 
daring  brother  gained  in  many  a  hard-fought  battle 
field.  Roderigo  remained  almost  continually  on  the 
frontier.  Gallant,  brave,  and  generous,  he  entertained 
no  thought  of  evil  against  his  brother,  but  went  on 
seeking  adventures  by  land  and  sea  —  now  cam 
paigning  against  the  Moors,  now  sailing  away  with  a 
Portuguese  exploring  party,  now  returning  to  plunge 
into  further  warfare  against  the  Moors.  His  mind 
was  fully  occupied  with  loyal  service  and  with  deter 
mination  to  add  fresh  laurels  to  the  family  name, 
and  he  little  guessed  how  many  a  gloomy  hour  Garcia 
spent,  grudging  him  his  successes  and  forming  vague 
plans  for  his  undoing. 

Garcia's  hostility  toward  his  brother  dated  from 
the  death  of  their  father;  for  Philip  Estevan  had 
seen  fit  to  bestow  the  greater  part  of  the  family 
estate  upon  his  favorite  son.  Enraged  at  this  mark 
of  preference,  Garcia  began  early  to  plot  Roderigo's 
ruin.  A  crisis  might  have  been  long  delayed,  how 
ever,  had  not  an  incident  happened,  about  a  year 
after  the  coronation  of  the  Queen,  of  a  nature  so 
wounding  to  Garcia's  pride  that  his  smouldering 
malice  flamed  into  fiery  hatred. 

The  Moorish  kingdom  of  Granada  was  by  this  time 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS 


in  constant  war  with  the  Christians.  Hard  pressed 
by  the  increasing  might  of  the  Spanish  arms  under 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  they  retaliated  by  continu 
ally  sending  out  predatory  incursions  into  Spanish 
territory.  The  clash  of  arms  was  everywhere  heard  in 
the  sweet  valleys  and  among  the  sunny 


AN  ANDALUSIAN  VILLAGE. 


hills  of  Andalusia. 
Cities  and  fortresses  were  falling 
to  the  Spaniards.  Villages  were  being  sacked  and 
men,  women,  and  children  being  carried  away  into 
captivity  by  the  Moors.  One  day  Roderigo,  while 
riding  unattended,  encountered  a  small  party  of  Moors 
returning  from  one  of  their  raids.  In  their  midst  was 
a  beautiful  maiden.  At  sight  of  the  knight  the  girl 


10  COLUMBIA 

uttered  a  joyous  and  appealing  cry.  He,  in  an 
instant,  had  lowered  his  visor,  couched  his  lance, 
and  charged  like  a  thunderbolt  among  her  captors. 
Two  of  the  Moors  were  slain,  the  others  were  put 
to  flight,  and  the  victor  bore  the  lady  in  triumph  to 
Castile.  As  they  rode  she  told  him  of  her  father,  a 
Christian  gentleman  of  Navarre,  who  had  fallen  de 
fending  his  home,  leaving  her  to  the  mercies  of  their 
enemies.  She  spoke,  too,  of  her  ancestral  family, 
once  powerful,  but  now  impoverished  by  the  wars. 
Roderigo  listened  enchanted  with  the  sweet  voice; 
he  loved  her  and  determined  to  make  her  his  wife. 

The  lady  became  at  once  a  great  favorite  at  court. 
Her  beauty  and  vivacity  won  all  hearts.  Among  her 
many  suitors  Garcia  Estevan  enrolled  himself;  and 
when  the  maiden  showed  unconcealed  preference  for 
her  gallant  rescuer  and  when,  a  little  later,  she  mar 
ried  him  amid  great  rejoicing,  the  bitter  hatred  of 
Garcia  knew  no  bounds.  He  sought  out  the  king, 
and  with  subtle  skill  worked  to  instill  into  the  mon 
arch's  mind  poisonous  suspicions  of  Roderigo's  loyalty. 
He  was  only  too  successful,  and  in  those  days  sus 
picion  was  followed  by  condemnation. 

Roderigo  had  not  been  married  quite  two  years 
when  a  son  was  born  to  him,  but  before  his  child  was 
old  enough  to  call  his  name,  the  father  was  seized  and 
imprisoned.  After  a  short  time  he  was  released,  but 
deprived  of  his  estates  and  rank.  But  noble,  gen 
erous,  and  loyal  to  the  last,  he  joined  his  king  in  a 
campaign  against  the  Moors,  and  won  distinction  in 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  11 

several  hard-fought  engagements.  He  was  now  only 
a  poor  soldier,  depending  on  his  sword  for  a  livelihood 
for  himself,  wife,  and  child.  Garcia,  whose  hatred 
increased  with  years,  began  to  fear  that  his  brother 
might  regain  his  lost  favors  with  the  prince,  and 
set  in  operation  new  plots  and  intrigues,  bringing 
into  his  service  an  apostate  Moor  named  Abdallah 
Ahmed.  They  represented  to  their  sovereigns  that 
Roderigo  was  offering  his  services  to  King  John  II., 
of  Portugal,  and  was  secretly  plotting  an  invasion  of 
Spain. 

Hernando,  Roderigo's  little  son,  was  but  five  years 
of  age  when  final  ruin  came.  His  parents  lived  in  a 
cottage  on  the  coast,  not  far  from  the  seaport  town  of 
Palos,  and  the  boy  loved  to  sit  on  the  beach  and 
listen  to  the  waves  breathing  their  mournful  tale  of 
some  far-off  land.  The  child  often  wondered  to  what 
vast  unknown  regions  that  great  body  of  water  ex 
tended. 

One  day  his  father  came  home,  his  face  deep  lined 
with  anxiety  and  despair.  Hernando  listened  in 
simple  childish  wonder  to  hurried  words.  His  father's 
sighs  and  his  mother's  tears  told  him  that  something 
terrible  was  in  store.  Then  came  a  heart-breaking 
farewell.  His  mother  wept  pitifully  and  could  not 
be  comforted.  Tearing  himself  from  her  embrace 
the  father  caught  Hernando  in  his  arms,  pressed  a 
warm  kiss  on  his  cheeks,  and  in  an  agony  of  spirit 
cried: 

"May  God  bless  you  both!" 


12 


COLUMBIA 


Then  the  father  hurried  away  down  to  the  wild, 
rocky  shore,  where  a  boat  was  ready  to  carry  him  off 
to  a  strange  ship  lying  at  anchor.  The  fugitive  was 
taken  aboard  the  vessel,  anchor  was  hoisted,  and  he 
sailed  away  upon  that  vast  expanse  of  unknown  water. 
Hernando  and  his  mother  stood  on  the  edge  of  the 
cliff,  and  watched  the  sail  grow  smaller  and  smaller 
until  it  disappeared  forever.  Young  as 
he  was,  the  lad  knew  his  father 


^ 


•  fin  r^jfcf  frtijn'**  5 ••* j yt  y  &f  , ; ~  -       -.^  ,^x 


THE  WILD  ROCKY  SHORE. 

had  been  condemned,  and  was  flying  for  his  life. 
He  had  heard  him  tell  his  mother  that  Abdallah 
Ahmed,  a  wicked  Moor,  had,  at  the  instigation  of 
Garcia,  made  a  false  oath  against  him,  and  that  the 
king  had  issued  a  warrant  for  him,  dead  or  alive. 

The  boy  lived  alone  many  weary  days  with  his 
mother  in  their  cottage.  No  tidings  came  from  the 
absent  father  and  husband.  Seiiora  Doria,  Hernan- 
do's  grandmother,  came  to  live  with  them  and 
care  for  the  unfortunate  wife,  who  was  dying  of  a 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  13 

broken  heart.  Weeks,  months,  and  years  passed,  and 
she  grew  more  feeble  as  she  waited  and  waited, 
patiently  hoping  and  praying  for  word  of  her  beloved 
husband. 

She  used  to  sit  by  the  water,  her  little  son  at  her 
side.  Gazing  away  over  the  unknown  ocean  she 
would  tell  him  stories  from  Marco  Polo,  about  a 
wonderful  country  beyond  the  sea  —  of  continents, 
islands,  cities,  and  people  who  dwelt  there;  and  the 
boy,  listening  to  her,  would  exclaim: 

"Surely  my  father  must  be  on  one  of  those  islands, 
and  when  I  grow  to  be  a  man,  mother,  I  will  go  and 
bring  him  back,  and  then  you  shall  weep  no  more." 

Then  she  told  him  that,  according  to  Marco  Polo, 
some  of  those  islands  were  inhabited  by  wild,  savage 
people,  who  made  their  captives  slaves.  Perhaps 
even  then  his  father  was  a  slave  to  some  cruel  master, 
poorly  fed,  cruelly  beaten,  and  longing  to  come  home 
to  those  whom  he  loved.  Such  an  impression  did 
these  stories  make  on  the  young  boy's  mind,  and  so 
vivid  became  his  imagination,  that  he  fancied  he 
could  hear  his  father's  voice  calling  for  deliverance 
from  out  the  great  expanse  of  water. 

His  mother  grew  weaker  and  weaker.  At  last  she 
died;  and  Hernando  sat  alone  on  the  beach  and  lis 
tened  to  the  waves,  thinking  he  heard  his  father's 
sighs  and  groans  in  their  murmurs.  And  when  the 
storm  lashed  them  to  a  fury  he  said  that  his  father's 
masters  were  angry  and  he  could  hear  the  shrieks  of 
the  slave. 


14  COLUMBIA 

Hernando  had  reached  his  thirteenth  year  and 
still  lived  in  the  humble  cottage  with  his  grandmother. 
They  supported  themselves  by  their  garden,  cow,  and 
goats.  The  boy  grew  strong,  was  a  brave  lad,  and 
had  joined  in  one  or  two  expeditions  against  the 
Moors.  He  had  but  two  objects  in  life;  one  was  to 
find  his  father;  the  other  was  to  take  vengeance  on 
the  renegade  Moor,  Abdallah. 

One  morning  Hernando  and  the  good  old  grand 
mother  Doria  sat  at  breakfast.  As  usual,  their  con 
versation  drifted  away  to  the  subject  always  nearest 
their  hearts,  the  lad's  missing  father.  Old  Doria  was 
never  so  happy  as  when  sounding  the  praises  of  the 
gallant  knight,  and  in  the  proud  Hernando  she  always 
found  an  eager  listener. 

"I  remember  my  father,  and  a  grand,  noble  man 
he  was,"  interrupted  the  lad.  "I  see  him  yet  hurry 
ing  down  to  the  rocky  shore,  in  his  shining  coat  of 
mail,  his  great  sword  clanging  at  his  side." 

"  Ah,  it  was  a  sad  day,  lad,  when  the  good  knight 
sailed!" 

"  They  would  have  killed  him,  grandame,  had  he 
stayed.  But  mother  used  to  tell  me  of  an  Island  of 
Seven  Cities,  which  had  houses  roofed  with  gold " 

"Aye,  and  savage  men  who  kill  people  or  make 
slaves  of  them,"  interrupted  the  grandmother. 

Then  the  boy  became  sad  and  thoughtful.  His 
porridge  grew  cold,  and  he  seemed  far  away,  a  witness 
to  his  father's  suffering  and  degradation.  Suddenly 
recovering  himself,  he  said: 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  15 

"It  won't  be  long.  I  will  soon  be  a  man;  then 
father  shall  be  rescued,  and  the  cruel  Moor  Abdallah 
be  put  to  death.  Less  than  a  year  ago  I  saw  Ab 
dallah,  and  told  him  when  I  became  strong  enough  to 
wield  a  lance  or  arquebus  I  would  slay  him." 

"  Beware  of  the  Moors,  lad;  beware  of  the  Moors. 
They  are  treacherous,  heathen  dogs,  and  may  the 
Holy  Virgin  be  praised  when  they  are  all  driven  from 
Christendom!" 

The  boy's  eyes  suddenly  grew  brighter,  and  he 
exclaimed : 

".Oh,  Grandame  Doria,  I  forgot  to  tell  you;  I 
met  him  again  yesterday!" 

"Who,  the  Moor?" 

"No;  heaven  forbid!  That  dog  is  now  penned  up 
with  his  scurvy  countrymen,  like  sheep,  in  Granada, 
with  the  king's  artillery  battling  down  the  walls." 

"Whom  saw  you,  lad ? " 

"The  oddest'  of  men!  They  call  him  Old  Anti 
podes.  I  don't  know  what  it  means,  grandame,  but  he 
is  a  good,  brave  man,  a  sailor,  and  a  great  explorer." 

"  What  is  he  like  ?" 

"Ah,  good  grandame,  I  never  saw  a  face  like  his, 
so  full  of  kindness  and  love!  His  gray  eyes  and 
snow-white  hair  and  beard  make  him  look  like  a 
saint.  I  was  on  the  road  from  Palos  with  some  boys 
when  he  passed.  Some  of  the  children  cried:  'There 
comes  the  mad  man  of  Genoa,'  and  they  ran  away; 
but  I  stood  and  watched  him.  As  he  passed  by  he 
paused  to  look  at  me." 


16  COLUMBIA 

"Did  he  speak?" 

"No.  He  wore  a  breastplate,  but  he  is  more  of  a 
friar  than  a  soldier." 

"Why  do  they  call  him  a  mad  man,  and  if  he  be 
mad,  why  does  he  go  armed  ? " 

"They  call  him  mad  because  he  says  the  world 
is  round,  and  turns  over  in  a  day  and  night;  and  he 
says  people  live  on  the  other  side  of  it." 

"He  must  be  mad,  indeed,"  the  incredulous  grand 
mother  answered.  "If  the  world  was  round  or  turned 
over,  we  would  fall  off  when  we  got  on  the  under 
side." 

This  theory  had  puzzled  older  heads  than  Her- 
nando's,  and  wiser  ones  than  Senora  Doria.  The 
science  of  geography  and  natural  forces  was  in  its 
infancy,  and  the  laws  of  gravitation,  now  common 
with  every  schoolboy,  almost  wholly  unknown. 

"I  don't  understand  it,  grandame,  but  he  is  no 
mad  man  even  if  he  does  .say  such  strange  things. 
He  is  too  good  and  too  great  to  be  a  mad  man.  He 
has  spent  his  life  in  studying  maps,  charts,  the  stars, 
and  the  earth,  and  he  has  already  become  a  great 
sailor  and  explorer.  He  wants  to  take  a  fleet,  I  am 
told,  and  go  around  the  world." 

"Around  the  world?" 

"Yes,  grandame." 

"When  he  reaches  the  under  side  he  will  fall  off." 

"No,  grandame,  I  believe  he  is  right;  and  if  he 
gets  our  sovereigns  to  fit  out  a  fleet  for  him,  I  want 
to  go  with  him,  for  then  I  would  find  my  father,  and 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  17 

rescue  him  from  slavery.  O  grandame,  good,  good, 
grandame,  I  hear  my  father  every  night  in  my  sleep, 
calling  me  to  come  to  his  deliverance,  and  I  must 
go!"  Unable  longer  to  control  his  emotions,  the  boy 
broke  down. 

"Poor  child!  long  dwelling  on  that  subject  will 
drive  him  mad  too." 

But  buoyant  childhood  shakes  off  sorrow  and  care 
as  the  spaniel  does  the  water  from  his  sides.  Hope 
and  joy  of  youth  will  burst  through  the  darkest 
despair,  and  break  over  the  strongest  barriers,  admit 
ting  sunshine  to  the  saddest  young  heart.  The  boy's 
sobbing  was  soon  checked  by  the  quick  sound  of 
approaching  footsteps,  and  a  playmate,  thrusting  his 
face  within  the  door,  called: 

"Come,  Hernando,  have  you  forgotten  the  Plaza 
deToros?" 

The  speaker  was  his  playmate  Alberto,  and  Her 
nando  now  remembered  having  promised  to  accom 
pany  him  that  morning  to  the  bull-fight  near  the 
village.  The  fight  was  to  be  a  grand  affair,  and  was 
as  great  an  attraction  in  that  day  to  the  small  boy  of 
Spain  as  the  circus  is  to  our  own.  Hernando  glanced 
at  his  grandmother  for  her  approval,  and  the  dear, 
good  old  soul,  glad  of  a  little  happiness  for  the  child, 
nodded  ready  assent. 

It  was  fully  three  miles  across  rugged  hills  and 
steep,  thorny  paths  to  the  Plaza  de  Toros,  which  was 
simply  a  vast  arena,  something  like  the  old  Roman 
amphitheatre.  But  what  was  three  miles  to  two 

Vol.  1—2 


18 


COLUMBIA 


active  boys  full  of  excitement  and  admiration  of 
daring  deeds? 

The  day  was  hot  and  dusty.  The  palm,  maguay, 
tumble-down  walls,  and  distant  towers,  which  loomed 
vaguely  in  a  whitish  shimmer,  were  the  only  features 
of  the  landscape.  Round  about  stretched  the  eternal 
circle  of  blue  hills,  forming  the  rim  of  a  basin  in 
which  lies  the  village  of  Palos,  like  a  pearl  in  an  oyster- 


TYPICAL  LANDSCAPE. 

shell.  Half  a  mile  from  Palos,  amid  a  crowd  of  sol 
diers,  corralled  horses,  waiting  vehicles,  beggars, 
cripples,  and  thieves,  arose  the  Plaza  de  Toros. 

There  was  little  pretension  to  architectural  or 
artistic  elevation  about  the  Plaza  de  Toros.  It  wore 
the  severe  and  almost  business-like  aspect  which 
marked  the  unaesthetic  Gotho-Spaniard,  the  un 
changed  child  of  hard  Iberia,  who  looked  for  a  sport 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  19 

of  blood  and  death  and  required  no  extraneous  stimu 
lant.  That  it  was  built  for  the  killing  of  bulls  and  for 
no  other  purpose  was  plainly  evident.  The  interior 
of  the  arena  was  unadorned,  but  admirably  calcu 
lated  for  seeing,  and  a  bull-fight  is  essentially  a  spec 
tacle.  In  those  times,  as  now,  the  bull-fight  was  a 
Saturnalia. 

The  moving  line  of  the  Calle  de  Alcala  became  the 
aorta  of  the  village,  through  which  wound  a  dense 
mass,  solid  as  a  glacier  and  bright  as  a  kaleidoscope. 
There  was  no  class  unrepresented,  from  the  grandee 
in  his  blazoned  carriage  to  the  manola  in  her  calico 
gown.  All  faces  were  turned  one  way,  all  minds 
filled  with  one  purpose.  One  thought  stirred  in  every 
heart.  One  heart  beat  in  every  bosom. 

Four  hundred  years  have  worked  little  change  in 
the  Spanish  bull-fight,  and  the  arena  of  to-day  is  said 
to  be  the  arena  of  twenty  centuries  ago.  Once  inside, 
the  scene  burst  on  the  beholder  in  all  the  splendor  of 
open  day;  the  vast  space  filled  with  the  light  of  an 
unclouded  heaven  spread  above  like  an  azure  canopy. 

Having  gained  admission  to  the  amphitheatre, 
Alberto  and  Hernando  made  their  way  into  the  arena. 
This  was  crowded  with  men  and  boys,  until  the  hour 
for  clearing  it  came,  when  they  occupied  humble 
places  between  the  first  and  second  barriers,  where 
they  would  have  an  excellent  view  of  the  sport.  At 
the  appointed  hour  the  trumpet  sounded,  and  the 
crowd,  which  had  been  yelling  itself  hoarse,  rose  in 
an  outburst  of  enthusiasm.  This  was  before  the 


20 


decay  of  the  picturesque,  and  a  Spanish  assembly  was 
a  glorious  sight.  Every  shade  and  hue  of  the  kaleido 
scopic  mass  that  fluttered  and  glittered  in  the 
blazing  sun  and  sombre  shadow  seemed  in  motion. 
From  the  president's  box  a  signal  was  given.  Portals 
opened  and  two  alguazils,  or ¥  police-officers,  well 
mounted  and  elegantly  dressed,  entered.  After  these 
came  the  chief  matador, 
with  a  red  flag  and  sword; 
then  the  supernumeraries 
with  chulos,  or  assistants, 
on  foot  —  all  arrayed  in 
sparkling  costumes  of  the 
period.  Next  came  the 
picadors,  mounted  on  verit 
able  crowbaits  for  steeds, 
gayly  dressed,  with  breast 
plates  and  greaves  of  leather. 
The  procession  ended  with 
some  gayly  equipped  mules, 
which  were  to  remove  the  slain. 

"Oh,  oh!  "  exclaimed  the  boys,  as  the  combatants 
filed  into  the  arena,  bowing  and  smiling  to  the  shout 
ing  spectators. 

After  the  procession  had  marched  entirely  around 
the  arena,  a  second  trumpet  sound  signalled  the  com 
bat.  The  alguazil  rode  in  front  of  the  state  box  to 
receive  from  the  municipal  authority  the  key  to  the 
bull-pen.  Catching  the  key  in  his  hat,  he  handed 
it  to  a  chulo,  and  galloped  off  through  the  opposite 


CROWBAIT. 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS 


21 


entrance  with  undignified  haste,  amid  the  jeers  of 
the  crowd.  The  brilliant  army  of  combatants  now 
separated,  each  taking  his  respective  place. 

The  boys  watched  the  chulo  unlock  the  door  which 
was  to  admit  the  bull.  Out  he  came,  a  great  black 
monster,  with  long,  tapering  horns,  sharp  as  sword- 
points.  Released  from  his  dark  cell,  and  amazed  at 


THE  FIRM  ARM  OP  THE  PICADOR  HELD  HIM  AT  BAY. 

the  novelty  of  the  position,  he  gazed  an  instant  at  the 
crowd  in  its  brilliant  array.  After  a  brief  interval 
he  recovered  his  senses,  while  his  splendid  Achillean 
rage  fired  every  limb,  and  with  closed  eyes  and  low 
ered  horns  he  charged  the  foremost  of  the  three  pica 
dors,  who  were  drawn  up  at  intervals  close  to  the 
wooden  barrier.  The  horseman  on  a  blindfolded 
nag,  with  presented  spear,  boldly  awaited  the  onset, 
speaking  a  few  words  of  command  to  the  wretched, 
trembling  animal.  Only  the  poorest,  broken-down 


22  COLUMBIA 

hacks  were  sacrificed  by  the  picadors.  The  steed  won 
as  little  sympathy  as  the  bull.  When  gored  to  death 
he  was  dragged  out  by  the  mules,  leaving  a  bloody 
furrow  in  the  sand.  The  picador  thrust  his  blunt 
lance  against  the  shoulder  of  the  bull,  and  held  him 
back.  In  vain  he  kicked  up  behind  and  tossed  his 
sharp  horns  in  the  air;  the  firm  arm  of  the  picador 
held  him  at  bay.  Seeing  that  nothing  was  to  be 
gained  here,  the  bull  turned  aside  and,  charging  an 
other  picador,  threw  horse  and  rider  head  over  heels 
on  the  ground  ten  feet  away.  But  the  bull  did  not 
want  to  hurt  anybody.  He  hugged  the  barrier,  tried 
to  leap  it,  and  then  to  break  through  the  gate.  There 
seemed  danger  of  his  accomplishing  it,  and  Hernando 
suggested  to  his  young  companion  that  they  get  in 
safer  quarters.  Alberto  did  not  think  so,  as  mounted 
soldiers  with  lances  were  in  the  space  between  the  two 
barriers,  to  slay  the  bull  in  case  he  should  leap  the  first. 
The  chulos  now  began  to  worry  the  bull.  They 
were  all  picked  young  men,  who  had  just  commenced 
their  bull-fighting  career.  The  chulo's  duty  was  that 
of  a  skirmisher,  to  draw  off  the  bull  when  a  picador 
was  endangered.  This  was  done  with  their  parti 
colored  silken  cloaks  and  banners.  Their  mercurial 
address  and  agility  were  marvelous;  they  would 
skim  over  the  sand  like  birds  of  radiant  plumage, 
seeming  scarcely  to  touch  the  earth.  Then,  as  now, 
the  chief  weapon  of  the  chulo  was  the  banderillo,  a 
barbed  dart  or  arrow,  which  was  wrapped  with  bits 
of  parti-colored  cloth  and  ribbons.  The  tormentors 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  23 

shouted  in  front  of  the  bull,  waving  their  cloaks  until 
he  charged  straight  into  their  midst.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  furious  beast  must  inevitably  gore  some  of 
them,  and  Hernando  held  his  breath  in  expectation 
of  some  dreadful  tragedy.  But  just  as  the  roaring 
monster  with  lowered  horns  dashed  into  their  midst, 


THE  CHULO. 

the  men  leaped  nimbly  aside,  running  in  different 
directions. 

This  was  bull-fighting  four  hundred  years  ago; 
and,  in  countries  where  this  barbarous  sport  is  still 
tolerated,  it  is  bull-fighting  of  the  present.  Such 
torture  is  amusement  to  some  at  this  day;  perhaps, 
then,  we  can  in  a  measure,  excuse  Hernando  and  his 
young  companion  for  growing  enthusiastic,  in  those 
earlier,  less  civilized  times,  shouting  with  delight. 


24  COLUMBIA 

when  one  feat  more  daring  than  another  was  per 
formed. 

Sitting  in  the  front  row,  back  of  the  second  barrier, 
was  a  man  apparently  fifty  years  of  age,  with  broad, 
high  forehead,  and  hair  white  as  snow.  His  plumed 
hat  lay  on  his  knee,  while  his  gray  eyes  were  turned 
upon  Hernando  with  fatherly  solicitude.  Did  his 
prophetic  soul  read  something  in  the  bright  lad, 
which  told  him  that  the  destiny  of  the  child  was  hence 
forth  to  be  closely  linked  with  his  own? 

The  boys  were  watching  the  conflict  with  deepest 
interest.  The  bull  was  goaded  to  madness,  and  the 
sorry  mounts  of  the  picadors  were  unable  to  escape 
his  fury.  He  charged  another,  and  no  lance  could 
hold  him  back;  he  stood  under  the  horse  and  drove 
his  sharp  horns  again  and  again  into  his  body,  until 
the  footmen  tempted  him  away,  and  the  unfortunate 
beast,  mortally  wounded  and  dying,  was  half  led  and 
half  dragged  from  the  arena. 

The  picadors  had  furnished  sport  enough,  and  the 
first  act  ended  as  they  retired.  The  second  act  was 
to  be  played  by  the  chulos,  or  what  in  modern  days 
are  called  banderilleros. 

A  chulo,  taunting  the  bull  with  his  red  cloak  until 
he  provoked  a  charge,  took  a  barbed  dart  in  each 
hand;  and  as  the  bull  dashed  at  him  he  escaped  the 
horns  by  bare  six  inches;  leaning  over,  as  he  jumped 
aside,  to  plant  a  dart  on  either  side  of  his  neck.  This 
was  repeated  again  and  again,  until  the  bull  wore  a 
collar  of  fluttering  torture.  This  practice  is  almost 


THE  HORNS  OF  TAURUS  25 

the  same  at  the  present  day,  save  that  the  banderillo 
is  decked  with  tinsel,  paper  flowers,  and  streamers, 
instead  of  ribbons. 

The  bull  tried  hard  to  shake  off  the  stinging  collar, 
and,  finding  it  impossible,  dashed  right  and, left  at 
everybody  and  everything;  but  in  vain;  the  chulos 
were  too  nimble  for  him. 

At  last  he  halted  near  the  barricade  and  refused 
to  stir.  The  hated  red  cloak  was  again  and  again 
flaunted  in  his  eyes,  but  the  poor,  dumb  animal  knew 
he  was  powerless;  he  was  bleeding  from  a  dozen 
wounds;  white  slaver  tinged  with  blood  hung  from 
his  open  mouth.  He  panted  and  stood  still.  That 
bloodshot  eye  had  lost  some  of  its  fire,  and  a  look  of 
despair,  almost  human,  had  taken  its  place.  He  was 
ready  to  give  up  the  fight,  but  he  could  never  leave 
the  arena  alive.  A  piteous  bellow  escaped  him,  as 
with  lowering  head,  he  refused  to  move. 

Determined  to  incite  him  to  action,  a  nimble  chulo 
leaped  on  his  back  and  drove  a  sharp  banderillo  in 
each  quivering  flank.  A  wild  bellow  of  agony  and 
rage,  such  as  never  before  shook  the  arena,  made  the 
ground  quake,  and  like  a  flash  the  bull  bounded  away, 
hurling  the  chulo  to  the  earth ;  and  with  the  speed  of 
a  comet  he  flew  across  the  Plaza  de  Toros,  clearing 
the  inside  barrier  at  a  single  leap. 

He  was  now  almost  on  the  two  boys,  Hernando 
and  Alberto.  With  cries  of  terror  they  wheeled  to 
fly;  but  the  enraged  bull  saw  them,  and,  lowering 
his  horns,  gave  vent  to  another  earth-quaking  roar, 


26  COLUMBIA 

and  rushed  upon  them.  Wildest  excitement  pre 
vailed  everywhere.  Men  screamed  and  women 
swooned,  while  members  of  the  caudrilla  hastened 
after  the  escaped  bull. 

Hernando  was  half-way  to  the  second  barrier 
when  he  stumbled  and  fell.  A  cry  of  despair  escaped 
his  lips  —  he  seemed  to  feel  those  long,  keen  horns 
tossing  his  body  —  when  there  came  a  swift  rush  of 
feet  and  he  was  seized  and  hurled  out  of  harm's 
way.  At  the  same  instant  a  mounted  knight  with 
a  keen  lance  charged  the  bull  and  slew  him. 

Almost  fainting  with  dread,  the  lad  glanced 
upward  to  get  a  glimpse  of  his  rescuer.  It  was  the 
same  mild-faced  man,  with  snowy  hair  and  keen 
gray  eyes,  whom  he  had  attempted  to  describe  to 
his  grandmother.  Hernando  looked  into  a  counte 
nance  that  showed  perfect  self-control.  There  was 
no  sign  of  fear  in  the  man;  and  his  whole  figure  was 
clothed  in  a  majesty  that  made  him  stand  out  for  the 
moment  for  what  he  actually  was  —  one  of  the 
greatest  men  of  all  time. 


SOME    ONE    SEIZED    THE    LAD    AND    PLACED     HIM    OUT    OF    DANGER. 


CHAPTER  II. 


CHRISTINA   OVILARES. 

THROUGH  the  excited  throng  Hernando's  pro 
tector  half  led,  half  carried  him.  The  boy  was 
trembling  vio 
lently,  and  divid 
ing  his  time  be 
tween  prayers 
of  gratitude  and 
glances  at  the 
strange,  father 
ly  face  of  the 
man  who  had 
rescued  him. 
The  Plaza  de 
T  o  r  o  s  had  no 
more  attractions 
for  him.  His 
life,  devoted  to 
the  rescue  of  his 

father  from  captivity  among  unknown    barbarians, 
had  been  almost  sacrificed. 

The  stranger  conducted  the  lad  to  a  small  public- 
house  and  ordered  a  cordial  for  the  boy,  who  was 
faint  from  excitement.  Hernando  sank  down  on  a 
rude  bench  at  the  table,  and  his  companion  beside 

27 


CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS. 


28  COLUMBIA 

him.  An  Andalusian  girl  brought  wine,  and  pouring 
a  glass  half  full  the  stranger  held  it  to  the  lad's 
lips  and  said: 

"Drink  this." 

It  was  the  first  time  he  had  spoken,  and  if  the  boy 
was  moved  by  his  appearance,  he  was  charmed  by 
his  voice.  Never  had  he  heard  tones  more  gentle, 
more  deep  and  firm,  as  if  the  speaker  was  one  for  kings 
and  princes  to  obey.  He  drank  the  wine  and  pushed 
back  the  glass,  while,  with  his  eager  eyes  fixed  with 
all  a  lad's  inquisitiveness  on  the  strangely  sad  face, 
he  asked: 

"Who  are  you?" 

"I  am  Christopher  Columbus,  a  native  of  Genoa," 
was  the  answer. 

Christopher  Columbus  was  at  that  time  in  the 
full  vigor  of  manhood,  and  of  an  engaging  presence. 
According  to  the  minute  descriptions  given  by  his 
contemporaries  he  was  tall,  well  formed,  muscular, 
and  of  an  elevated  and  dignified  demeanor.  His 
face  was  long,  and  neither  full  nor  meagre;  his  com 
plexion,  fair,  freckled,  and  inclined  to  ruddy;  his 
nose,  aquiline;  his  cheek  bones,  rather  high;  his  eyes, 
light  gray,  and  quick  to  enkindle  with  enthusiasm ;  his 
whole  countenance  had  an  air  of  authority.  His  hair 
in  his  youth  was  of  a  light  color,  but  at  thirty  care, 
sorrow,  and  disappointment  had  turned  it  white  as 
snow.  He  was  moderate  and  simple  in  his  diet  and 
apparel,  eloquent  in  discourse,  engaging  and  affable 
to  strangers,  while  his  amiability  and  suavity  in 


CHRISTINA  OVILARES  29 

domestic  life  strongly  attached  his  household  to  him. 
His  temper  was  naturally  irritable,  but  he  subdued 
it  by  the  magnanimity  of  his  spirit,  comporting  him 
self  with  a  courteous  and  gentle  gravity,  and  never 
indulging  in  any  intemperance  of  language.  Through 
out  life  he  was  noted  for  his  strict  attention  to  the 
offices  of  religion,  observing  rigorously  the  fasts  and 
ceremonies  of  the  Church;  nor  did  his  piety  consist 
in  mere  forms,  but  partook  of  that  lofty  and  solemn 
enthusiasm  which  characterized  his  life. 

At  this  period  of  the  world's  history  the  name 
of  Columbus  was  not  generally  known,  and  Her- 
nando  may  be  pardoned  for  never  having  heard  it 
before.  Yet  realizing  that  he  was  in  the  presence  of 
a  remarkable  man,  he  became  abashed  and  silent. 
Columbus,  fixing  his  keen,  gray  eyes  on  Hernando, 
said: 

"You  had  a  narrow  escape,  my  lad." 

"That  I  did,  good  sefior,  but  for  you  I  should  have 
been  killed."  Hernando  paused,  then  faltered  sim 
ply,  "  I  thank  you  for  saving  my  life.  Do  you  not 
go  on  a  voyage  soon?  "  he  added. 

"I  know  not  how  soon.  I  am  here  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  a  friend  whom  I  daily  expect." 

"Then  you  are  on  your  way  to  Granada  to  fight 
the  Moors?" 

"No,  lad;  we  go  to  try  to  see  the  king  and  queen, 
who  are  so  occupied  with  this  Moorish  conquest 
that  they  'will  scarcely  consult  with  even  the  noblest 
in  the  land  on  any  topic  other  than  war.  You  must 


30  COLUMBIA 

go  to  your  parents;  your  father  will  be  anxious 
about  you." 

"Alas!     I  have  no  father." 

"Then  he  is  dead?" 

"No,  good  sefior,  but  lost.  My  father,  wrongfully 
accused  by  my  uncle  and  a  wicked  Moor,  was  ordered 
by  the  king  to  be  imprisoned,  and  he  sailed  away 
across  the  sea  to  save  his  life.  My  mother  used  to 
tell  me  of  lands  far  away  across  the  waters  where 
savage  and  cruel  people  dwell,  who  have  made  a 
slave  of  my  father;  and  at  times  I  fancy  I  can  hear 
him  shriek  and  groan  in  bondage.  I  am  going  to 
him  some  day." 

Columbus,  moved  by  the  simple  narrative,  an 
swered  : 

"  You  are  too  young  to  think  of  such  a  voyage,  lad. 
But  your  mother  must  be  a  good,  wise  woman;  go 
home  to  her  and  assure  her  of  your  safety." 

"My  mother  is  dead." 

"She,  too,  is  dead?     Oh,  how  sad!" 

"She  died  many  years  ago,  when  I  was  quite 
young.  My  last  promise  to  her  was  that  my  father 
should  be  found  and  released  from  bondage.  I  live 
with  grandame  Senora  Doria,  in  the  little  cottage 
beyond  the  hills." 

Columbus  felt  strangely  drawn  toward  this  bright 
lad  whose  life  he  had  saved.  He  conducted  him  to 
the  crest  of  the  hill  and  there  bade  him  adieu.  Then, 
drawing  his  cloak  about  his  shoulders,  he  stood  and 
watched  Hernando  as  he  hastened  to  his  humble  home. 


32  COLUMBIA 

Hernando  found  his  grandmother  in  a  wild  state 
of  excitement  and  grief.  Alberto  had  preceded  him, 
and,  not  knowing  that  his  young  companion  had  been 
rescued,  was  telling  how  the  bull  had  tossed  Her 
nando  up  in  the  air  again  and  again,  goring  him  to 
death  with  his  sharp  horns.  The  boy's  vivid  imagina 
tion,  and  his  fondness  for  exaggeration,  made  his 
story  highly  plausible,  and  when  Hernando  entered 
the  cottage  he  was  received  like  one  come  back  from 
the  dead. 

His  grandmother  caught  him  in  her  arms,  and 
with  tears  streaming  down  her  cheeks,  she  blessed 
her  patron  saint  that  the  boy  was  spared. 

For  several  days  she  would  hardly  allow  him  to 
go  from  her  side;  but  in  time,  as  the  recollection  of 
his  late  adventure  grew  dim  and  blunt,  the  restless 
youth  was  again  permitted  to  roam  among  the  woods 
and  hills  where  his  childhood  had  been  spent. 

Spain  has  always  been  noted  for  her  charming 
scenery;  and  with  such  a  broad  playground  as 
Andalusia,  it  is  small  wonder  that  Hernando  became 
a  true  lover  of  "God's  out-of-doors,"  and  pined  when 
in  the  cottage,  pleasant  as  the  grandmother  made  it. 
In  the  loveliest  atmosphere  in  the  world,  vast  ranges 
of  serrated,  ruddy-peaked  mountains  rose  to  greet 
the  boy  every  morning,  while  between  lay  beautiful 
valleys,  sometimes  opening  on  an  azure  estuary  of 
the  distant,  purple-watered  sea.  Others  were  com 
pletely  locked  in  by  mountain  domes  that  towered 
into  the  heavens  nearly  twelve  thousand  feet,  piercing 


CHRISTINA  0V I  LA  RES 


33 


the  air  with  penetrating  and  perennial  coolness. 
The  rivers  sent  sluggish  streams  or  silver  torrents, 
according  to  the  season,  through  a  country  which 


"MOUNTAIN  DOMES  THAT  TOWERED  INTO  THE  HEAVENS." 
Vol.  1 — 3 


34  COLUMBIA 

expanded  before  his  young  gaze  into  picturesque 
vegas  overflowing  with  wild  olive,  citron,  the  aloe, 
the  cactus,  the  palm,  lemon,  orange,  and  evergreen 
oak,  the  silk-festooned  mulberry,  the  snowy  cot 
ton  and  bending  cane;  now  and  again  shooting  up 
into  cliffs  of  dizzy  height,  surmounted  by  dragon- 
like  castles. 

Though  born  and  reared  amid  such  scenery,  it 
never  lost  its  charm  for  Hernando,  and,  enwrapped 
as  it  was  in  a  halo  of  mythical  history,  one  can 
not  wonder  that  it  blended  strongly  with  his  fine, 
poetic  imagination.  Even  the  wind  sighing  among 
the  peaks,  or  rushing  down  the  valleys,  seemed 
to  him  the  voice  of  an  exiled  father  calling  for  de 
liverance. 

It  was  an  age  as  romantic  as  the  scenery.  Moor 
and  Christian  roamed  alternately  through  hill,  valley, 
and  plain.  The  peaceful  landscape  of  today  might 
be  a  field  of  carnage  on  the  morrow.  One  week  the 
vermilion  towers  of  the  Alhambra  rose  enveloped  in 
light  and  perfume,  in  aromatic  gardens,  in  fountains 
and  filigreed  courts,  in  sparkling  arabesques,  in  pre 
cious  tranquillity,  wherein  the  golden  voice  of  Ara 
bian  verse  breathed  forth  its  plaintive,  mocking 
whispers;  the  next,  blood-red  illumination  burned 
over  the  ensanguined  turrets,  and  the  din  of  arms,  the 
clangor  of  the  sackbuts  and  cymbals,  the  flash  of 
furious  cimeters,  and  the  blaze  of  the  assassin  and  in 
cendiary  flamed  and  resounded  through  its  tempest- 
tossed  spaces. 


CHRISTINA  OVILARES  35 

City,  village,  and  lonely  valley  were  alike  subject 
to  invasion,  and  peasant  and  noble  lived  in  constant 
fear. 

One  day,  as  Hernando  was  wending  his  way  around 
a  rocky  cliff,  the  sun's  rays  gleamed  upon  a  weapon. 
He  crouched  close  to  the  earth,  and  peering  out  espied 
four  Moors  on  horseback  riding  down  the  glen.  Only 
the  rugged  bluff  hid  his  little  home  from  view,  and  the 
proximity  of  these  brigands  alarmed  the  lad.  The 
village  of  Palos  was  a  league  away,  and  they  might 
destroy  the  cottage  before  help  could  come.  Half  a 
mile  farther  around  the  foot-hill  would  bring  them  in 
plain  view  of  it. 

One  of  them  carried  some  object  on  his  horse,  and 
Hernando,  great  as  the  distance  was,  saw  that  it  was 
a  white  girl,  not  over  ten  years  of  age,  and  a  prisoner, 
for  she  was  tied  on  the  horse. 

"The  dogs!"  hissed  the  lad  from  his  place  of 
concealment.  "They  are  carrying  the  poor  little 
captive  off  to  Granada  to  be  a  slave! "  and  his  proud 
Castilian  blood  boiled. 

The  Moors  came  riding  down  the  valley;  they 
were  now  in  plain  view  and  now  hidden  by  the 
dense  foliage  of  the  orange  or  evergreen  oak.  Their 
horses  traveled  slowly,  and  even  from  his  distant 
point  of  observation  the  boy  could  see  that  the 
Moorish  steeds  were  jaded  from  their  long  jour 
ney. 

Like  a  slender  thread  of  silver  a  stream  wound  its 
way  along  the  valley,  here  appearing  boldly  and 


36  COLUMBIA 

there  hiding  from  view  amid  the  rich  palms  and  aloes. 
The  small  cavalcade,  reaching  one  of  these  graceful 
curves,  which  brought  it  into  full  view  of  the  lad  who 
was  still  watching  with  greatest  eagerness,  called  a 
halt. 

The  Moors  dismounted,  let  their  horses  drink  at 
the  stream,  removed  the  saddles,  and  seemed  prepar 
ing  for  an  hour's  rest.  Curiosity,  or  a  stronger  feeling, 
overcame  the  lad's  caution,  and  he  crept  along  the 
bluff  until  he  was  within  half  a  furlong  of  the  Moors. 
His  gaze  riveted  itself  on  the  tall,  sinewy  fellow  wrho 
wore  a  red  turban  and  seemed  leader  of  the  small 
band.  Forgetting  precaution  for  the  moment,  he 
started  half  upright,  hissing  through  his  clenched 
teeth: 

"It  is  Abdallah,  the  dog  who  sent  my  father  into 
exile." 

But  he  bethought  himself  in  time  to  escape  dis 
covery,  and,  crouching  behind  a  bunch  of  cactus, 
gnashed  his  teeth  as  he  watched  the  Moor  talking  to 
the  little  prisoner.  The  child  had  been  sobbing,  and 
the  brutal  fellow  was  threatening  her  with  a  drawn 
cimeter. 

"They  shall  not  drag  her  away  to  Granada  or 
Arabia  to  live  a  life  of  slavery!"  gasped  the  brave 
lad,  his  soul  rising  with  horror  at  the  thought. 

With  mind  made  up  and  purpose  formed,  he 
crawled  back  from  the  face  of  the  bluff  until  he  was 
too  far  away  to  be  seen  by  the  Moors  below,  and, 
springing  to  his  feet,  he  ran  down  the  slope,  along  the 


CHRISTINA  OVILARES  37 

tortuous  path  to  the  cottage.  His  father's  arquebus 
hung  on  the  wall,  and,  as  the  lad  knew  how  to  load 
and  fire  it,  his  first  thought  was  to  secure  it  and  shoot 
at  the  Moors  from  the  top  of  the  bluff,  putting  them 
to  flight. 

Fortunately  for  the  success  of  his  plan,  his  grand 
mother  was  not  in  the  cottage  on  his  arrival.  Climb 
ing  up  the  wall,  he  took  down  the  matchlock,  which 
had  grown  rusty  from  long  disuse.  Then  a  new  diffi 
culty  arose;  there  was  neither  powder  nor  slow-match 
and  the  gun  was  worthless. 

"I  can't  use  it,  but  there  is  father's  cross-bow. 
It  will  do  quite  as  well,"  he  thought. 

Taking  it  down,  together  with  several  iron-pointed 
bolts,  Hernando  examined  the  steel  bow,  the  crank, 
and  the  string,  and  decided  they  were  fit  for  service. 
Like  the  arquebus,  long  disuse  had  made  the  cross 
bow  rusty.  The  lad  had  a  small,  sharp  sword  of  his 
own,  which  he  kept  bright  and  in  good  condition;  for, 
young  as  he  was,  he  had  learned  to  handle  it  quite 
effectively. 

With  sword  and  cross-bow  he  hastened  back  to 
ward  the  bluff  from  which  he  expected  to  make  the 
attack.  He  paused  before  reaching  it,  to  wind  up  the 
bow  and  have  it  ready  when  he  should  come  in  sight 
of  the  Moors.  Placing  the  muzzle  on  the  ground,  and 
taking  the  double  crank  in  both  hands,  he  began  turn 
ing.  His  agitation,  his  anxiety,  and  nervousness 
doubtless  aided  to  bring  about  disaster  —  the  bow 
snapped  in  twain. 


47349 


38 


COLUMBIA 


' '  Saint  Anthony !  What  am  I  to  do  ? "  cried  the 
lad.  "  Arquebus  useless  for  lack  of  powder  and  cross 
bow  broken." 

Overcome  by  his  ill-fortune,  he  threw  himself  on 
the  ground  face  downward.     He  did  not  hear  the 
tramp  of  feet  nor  the  clank 
of  swords,   nor  did  he  see 


the  two  tall,  powerful  men 


who  were   coming  along  the 
path  toward  him. 

A  voice,  so  near  at  hand  as  to  startle  the  lad,  said: 

"What's  this  before  us?  —  a  lad  and  "a  broken 
cross-bow." 

"Is  he  slain,  duke?" 

The  last  voice  sounded  familiar,  and  the  boy  sprang 
to  his  feet,  making  a  great  effort  to  dry  his  tears  before 


CHRISTINA  OVILARES  39 

the  new-comers  should  discover  his  weakness.  The 
last  speaker  was  his  rescuer  at  the  Plaza  de  Toros, 
Christopher  Columbus,  and  his  companion  a  tall, 
powerful  man,  with  dark  hair  and  beard.  They  wore 
breastplates,  and  had  swords  at  their  sides. 

"Have  you  been  wounded?"  asked  the  duke  in  a 
tone  that  showed  deep  concern. 

"By  the  mass,  it's  my  young  acquaintance  of  the 
Plaza  de  Toros!  What  has  gone  amiss,  my  lad? 
Your  cross-bow  is  broken,  and  you  have  tears  in  your 
eyes." 

"Good  seiior,  I  have  suffered  enough  mortification 
this  day  to  make  a  Christian  lad  die;  four  infidel 
Moors  are  in  the  valley,  beyond  the  spur  of  the  moun 
tain,  with  a  child  prisoner  whom  they  are  carrying 
into  slavery.  I  brought  my  cross-bow  to  rescue  her, 
and  broke  it  in  winding." 

"Why,  Columbus,  this  is  a  gallant  lad,"  said  the 
duke. 

"Duke  Medina  Cell,  you  are  brave,"  answered 
Columbus,  in  a  voice  that  was  effective.  "Heaven 
forbid  we  should  let  a  Christian  child  be  dragged  into 
infidel  slavery." 

"My  good  sword  is  ready,"  was  the  quick  response. 

"Lad,  lead  the  way,"  said  Columbus,  as  he  drew 
his  own  bright  blade  from  its  scabbard. 

"That  I  will,  good  senor,  and  I  pray  Heaven  that 
I  may  myself  get  a  good  chance  at  the  dog  Abdallah." 

The  boy  led  the  way  down  the  path  to  a  place  in 
the  bluff  where  the  descent  could  be  made  without 


40  COLUMBIA 

being  seen  by  those  below.  Reaching  the  valley,  they 
crept  through  a  dense  growth  of  evergreen  oaks  until 
they  were  within  forty  paces  of  the  Moors;  then  they 
were  discovered. 

"Christians,  by  Allah!"  yelled  Abdallah,  leaping 
to  his  feet. 

There  was  no  time  to  use  the  bow,  match-lock, 
or  even  the  lance,  for  the  Christians  with  drawn 
swords  were  close  upon  them  and  the  Moors  barely 
had  time  to  get  onto  their  feet  and  snatch  their  cim- 
eters. 

"Infidels,  plunderers,  thieves!"  roared  Medina 
Celi,  dealing  blows  right  and  left  with  his  strong  blade. 
"Carry  Christian  children  into  slavery,  will  you?" 

Columbus  was  at  his  side,  and,  though  they  were 
two  to  four,  they  soon  had  the  Moors  hard  pressed 
and  retreating. 

"Abdallah,  dog  of  a  Moor!"  cried  the  lad,  "this 
for  my  poor  wronged  father."  And,  leaping  forward, 
with  his  small,  keen  sword  he  struck  the  Moor  a  blow 
on  the  side  of  the  head.  The  stroke  was  aimed  so 
well,  and  delivered  with  such  force,  that  the  blade 
passed  through  the  Mohammedan's  bonnet  and  cut 
away  the  upper  part  of  his  left  ear,  inflicting  a  wound 
on  the  side  of  his  head. 

With  a  terrible  yell,  the  Moor  dropped  his  cimeter 
and,  holding  his  hand  on  his  bleeding  ear,  cried: 

"  Hernando  Estevan,  vengeance  on  your  father 
for  this!  I  will  have  both  his  ears!" 

The  boy  started  back  at  the  threat  and  allowed 


CHRISTINA  OVILARES  41 

the  Moor  to  escape.  The  duke  was  a  shrewd  knight, 
and,  taking  advantage  of  the  momentary  confusion 
of  his  other  adversary,  he  beat  down  his  guard  and 
ran  him  through  the  body. 

Seeing  his  companion  fall,  Abdallah  uttered  a  yell 
of  rage  and  fear  and  fled.  Medina  Celi  sprang  to  the 
aid  of  Columbus,  who  was  fighting  the  other  two; 
and  soon  they,  finding  everything  against  them,  also 
fled. 

"My  lord  duke,  an  easy  victory! "  cried  Columbus. 

"Shall  we  not  give  chase?"  asked  the  duke, 
burning  with  anxiety  to  cut  down  the  other  rascals. 

"No;  see,  they  are  mounting  their  Arabian  horses 
while  we  are  on  foot,"  returned  Columbus.  "Let  us 
look  after  the  child  —  see  who  she  is,  and  what  injury 
has  been  done  her." 

The  prisoner  was  a  shy  little  maid,  her  cheeks  very 
pale  and  her  eyes  blinded  with  tears.  Hernando  was 
already  at  her  side,  soothing  her  with  the  assurance 
that  there  was  no  further  danger. 

"Sweet  child,  weep  no  more,"  said  Columbus,  his 
kind  face  beaming  with  compassion.  "Your  captors 
have  fled  —  save  him  that  is  slain." 

But  she  still  continued  to  sob,  with  grief  rather 
than  fear;  and  Columbus,  eager  to  know  her  story, 
sat  on  a  stone,  and  taking  her  on  his  knee,  as  would  a 
father,  said: 

"  Little  one,  tell  me  your  name." 

"Christina  Ovilares,"  she  answered. 

"Where  is  your  home,  Christina?  " 


42  COLUMBIA 

"  Alas!  I  have  none  now.  I  did  live  three  leagues 
hence  with  my  old  grandfather;  my  mother  being 
dead,  and  my  father  slain  in  battle." 

"And  where  is  your  grandfather,  child?  " 

"He,  too,  is  dead;  the  Moors  attacked  our  cottage 
this  morning,  slew  him,  burned  our  home,  and  carried 
me  away." 

Overcome  by  the  narration  of  her  own  sad  story, 
the  child  sobbed  bitterly. 

"Have  you  no  relatives?"  asked  Columbus. 

"None." 

"  Nor  friends,  nor  home  ?  " 

"None,  senor." 

"My  lord  duke,  here  is  a  pitiful  story.  What 
shall  we  do  ?  I  have  no  home  to  offer  her." 

"Grandame  and  I  have  room  in  our  cottage  for 
her,  and  she  shall  come  and  live  with  us,"  said  Her- 
nando,  before  the  duke  could  speak. 

Columbus  and  the  duke  exchanged  glances,  then 
the  former  said: 

"I  think  that  is  the  best  that  can  be  done." 

"I  agree  with  you,  senor.  Let  us  accompany  them 
to  the  cottage  lest  the  Moors  attempt  another  attack." 

"Little  fear  of  that,"  Columbus  answered.  "The 
infidel  dogs  have  learned  a  lessson."  Pointing  to 
the  Moor  who  had  just  fallen,  he  added:  "We  must 
give  him  decent  burial." 

"Let  us  care  for  the  living  first,  and  give  safe  con 
duct  home  to  the  lad  and  child;  then  will  be  time 
enough  to  look  after  the  dead." 


CHRISTINA  OVILARES  43 

As  they  started  up  the  cliff,  the  three  Moors  were 
discovered  among  the  trees  not  a  hundred  paces  down 
the  valley.  One  of  them  had  dismounted,  and,  plac 
ing  the  rest  of  his  arquebus  on  the  ground,  was  aiming 
at  them  when  discovered.  They  saw  him  apply  the 
slow-match;  then  there  was  a  whiff  of  smoke,  a  stun 
ning  report,  and  a  stone  bullet  struck  the  breastplate 
of  Columbus,  causing  him  to  stagger. 

"Are  you  hurt,  seiior?  "  asked  the  duke. 

"No,  no;  my  good  breastplate  saved  me.  Let  us 
get  cross-bows  or  hand-guns,  and  pursue  the  villains." 

"We've  no  need,  sefior,"  cried  the  lad.  "Behold! 
some  knights  from  Navarre  are  coming." 

Waving  plumes,  polished  helmets,  and  glittering 
lances  flashed  up  the  valley.  A  score  of  mailed 
knights,  no  doubt  in  pursuit  of  this  same  predatory 
band,  were  galloping  down  the  valley. 

"Pray  God  they  may  not  be  too  late,"  said  the 
duke. 

"They  see  them!  "  cried  Columbus. 

"  Ay, the  Moors  know  their  danger,"  the  lad  gasped. 
"See  how  they  mount  and  fly." 

The  knights  spurred  their  horses  at  the  top  of  their 
speed,  and  flew  like  the  wind  down  the  road. 

From  their  elevated  position,  our  friends  watched 
the  chase  for  miles.  It  was  a  race  for  life.  The  Moors 
threw  away  their  hand-guns  and  lances,  even  their 
cimeters,  everything  in  fact  that  would  hinder  their 
flight.  Pace  by  pace  they  increased  the  distance 
between  themselves  and  their  pursuers. 


44  COLUMBIA 

"Take  the  child  to  your  home,  lad;  you  can  now 
go  in  safety,  for  the  Moors  have  been  driven  from 
the  valley,"  said  Columbus. 

"Will  not  the  good  senors  come  —  and  — 

"No,  lad;  it  is  better  we  wait  and  meet  the  knights 
on  their  return;  besides,  the  slain,  infidel  though  he 
be,  must  have  decent  burial." 

Strongly  impressed  with  a  strange  new  and  great 
responsibility,  Hernando  took  the  child's  trembling 
little  hand  in  his  own,  and  led  her  down  the  rugged 
path  to  their  cottage.  The  humble  home,  half  buried 
in  evergreens,  with  the  great  blue  bay  beyond,  was 
lovely  in  its  picturesque  simplicity.  Pausing  in 
sight  of  his  cottage,  Hernando  said : 

"I  like  you  already." 

She  made  no  answer;  but  a  grateful  expression 
came  into  the  pale  face.  "Grandame  will  love  you, 
too,  and  you  must  weep  no  more." 

When  they  reached  the  cottage,  the  senora  was 
amazed  at  the  story  her  grandson  had  to  tell.  She 
took  the  little  girl  in  her  arms,  kissed  away  her  tears, 
and  assured  her  she  should  have  a  home  with  them  as 
long  as  they  lived.  Christina's  little  heart  was  too 
full  for  utterance,  and,  throwing  her  small  arms  about 
the  good  old  senora's  neck,  she  sobbed  herself  to  sleep. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   MADMAN   OF   GENOA. 

HERNANDO  gave  his  warmest  sympathies  to  the 
little  girl  whom  he  had  helped  to  save  from  a  life  of 
slavery  and  degradation.  Like  himself,  she  was  an 
orphan,  and  it  was  only  natural  that  his  heart  should 
go  out  toward  her.  As  two  buds  remaining  on  differ 
ent  trees  of  the  same  kind,  after  the  tempest  has 
broken  all  their  branches,  produce  more  delicious 
fruit  if  each,  separated  from  the  maternal  stem,  be 
engrafted  on  the  neighboring  tree;  so  these  two 
children,  early  deprived  of  their  parents  and  thrown 
upon  their  nearest  protector  to  receive  them,  served 
to  grow  together  into  an  affection  for  one  another  more 
tender  even  than  a  brother  and  sister's.  They  soothed 
each  other's  cares  and  shared  each  other's  happiness. 
When  Hernando,  low  in  spirit,  sat  by  the  sea-side 
listening  to  the  moaning  of  a  captive  father  far  away 
across  the  great  ocean,  Christina  whispered  words 
of  hope  and  comfort  in  his  ear.  If  Hernando  was 
hurt  or  in  pain,  a  sight  of  Christina  brought  a  smile  of 
happiness  to  his  face,  and  sorrow  and  pain  were  for 
gotten.  If  any  accident  befell  Christina,  the  cries 
of  Hernando  gave  notice  of  the  disaster;  but  the  dear 
little  creature  would  suppress  her  complaints  if  she 
found  he  was  unhappy. 

45 


46 


COLUMBIA 


After  their  first  meeting  the  days  were  passed 
as  in  a  beautiful  dawn,  the  prelude  of  a  bright  day. 

They  were  of  great  as 
sistance  to  the  old  sefiora 
in  her  household  duties. 
As  soon  as  the  crowing  of 
the  cock  announced  the 
approach  of  dawn,  Chris 
tina  arose,  shook  out  her 
curls,  and  hastened  to 
the  neighboring  spring 
for  water;  then,  return 
ing  to  the  house,  pre 
pared  the  breakfast. 
When  the  rising  sun 
gilded  the  distant  moun 
tain-peaks,  they  offered 
up  their  morning  prayer 
together,  a  ceremony 
which  always  preceded 
their  first  repast.  They 
often  partook  of  their 
breakfast  before  the  door 
of  the  cottage,  seated  on 
the  grass,  under  a  canopy 

of  palms.  Plentiful  and  wholesome  nourishment 
gave  early  growth  and  vigor  to  these  children,  and 
their  countenances  expressed  the  peace  and  purity  of 
their  souls- 

So  early  does  beauty  develop  in  Spain,  that,  though 


CHRISTINA  OVJLABES 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA 


47 


only  ten  years  of  age,  Christina's  figure  was  in  some 
degree  formed.  A  profusion  of  dark  hair  shaded  her 
face,  to  which  her  soft  brown  eyes  and  red  lips  gave 
the  most  charming  delicacy.  In  speech  her  eyes 
sparkled  with  unusual  brilliancy;  in  repose  there 
came  over  her  features  an  expression  of  most  tender 
melancholy. 

Hernando,  who  was  over  three  years  her  senior, 
had  already  begun  to  display  evidences  of  youthful 


IVY  COVERED  BRIDGE. 

comeliness.  He  was  considerably  taller  than  she, 
and  his  skin,  darker  by  nature,  had  been  tanned  brown 
by  the  sun  and  air  of  Andalusia.  His  black  eyes 
were  piercingly  bright  and  shaded  by  long,  silken 
lashes.  He  was  a  typical  son  of  his  race,  noble  in 
bearing,  loyal  to  king  and  country;  a  youth  well- 
warranted  to  prove  a  trusted  follower  of  the  great 
master  he  was  destined  to  serve. 

They  delighted  to  wander  alone,  hand  in  hand, 
over  rocks  and  hills,  through  shady  glens,  across 


48  COLUMBIA 

ivy  covered  bridges,  conversing  in  their  soft  Spanish 
tongue;  or  to  sit  by  the  seaside  watching  the  rising 
swells  gather  in  force  and  power,  until  the  surging, 
rolling  wave  broke  in  crested  splendor  on  the  cold, 
gray  rocks  beneath.  It  was  on  such  occasions  that 
the  lad  would  fancy  he  heard  the  enchained  captive 
shriek  in  agony,  and  imploring  his  son  to  come  to  his 
rescue.  Over  and  over  again,  he  told  Christina  the 
story  of  his  father  and  while  she  could  not  bear 
the  thought  of  giving  up  her  new-found  friend  and 
brother,  she  said  nothing  to  deter  him  from  his 
mission. 

One  day  as  they  sat  on  the  sea-shore  listening  to 
the  myriad  voices  of  the  ocean,  Christina  descried  a  sail 
in  the  distance.  They  watched  the  snowy  speck 
grow  larger,  and  at  last  the  small  craft  entered  the 
little  harbor.  A  man  disembarked,  and  from  the 
course  he  took  he  was  evidently  bending  his  steps 
toward  the  village. 

"I  know  him,"  the  lad  whispered,  as  the  sunlight 
fell  on  his  noble  features  and  snow-white  hair.  "It 
is  our  good  friend,  Senor  Columbus." 

Both  sprang  to  their  feet  and  ran  across  the  bit 
of  rocky  headland  to  intercept  the  stranger.  Recog 
nizing  them,  he  paused,  and  with  a  smile  on  his  kind 
face  awaited  their  approach. 

"My  good  children,  it  gives  me  joy  to  see  your 
happiness,"  he  said,  as  they  came  up  with  him. 

"We  have  you  to  thank  for  peace  and  life  and  joy," 
Hernando  answered.  "We  came  to  greet  you,  good 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  49 

sefior,  and  invite  you  to  our  cottage  hard  by,  that 
our  grandame  may  thank  you,  and  accord  you 
such  hospitality  as  our  means  afford." 

"I  cannot  comply,  lad,"  Columbus  answered,  his 
face  growing  grave.  "I  am  to  meet  the  Duke 
Medina  Celi  at  the  castle  beyond  the  village." 

"The  same  grand  man  who  fought  so  bravely  for 
Christina?  You  have  a  noble  friend!" 

"A  noble  friend,  yes.  But  ah!  my  dear  boy,  my 
life  is  full  of  bitter  disappointment,  and  were  my 
work  done,  how  gladly  would  I  lay  it  down,"  answered 
Columbus,  with  a  sad  shake  of  the  head.  "  But,  no," 
he  added  almost  immediately,  as  if  starting  from  a 
painful  reverie,  "I  am  called  of  Heaven  to  rescue 
the  Holy  Sepulchre  from  the  infidel.  To  do  it,  I 
must  find  the  treasures  described  by  Marco  Polo 
beyond  the  seas,  and  raise  an  army  for  that  purpose." 

The  boy  only  partially  comprehended  him.  The 
great  man's  eye  lit  with  pious  enthusiasm,  and  his 
cheek  glowed  with  rapture.  The  children  gazed  on 
him  in  mingled  awe  and  admiration,  regarding  him 
as  one  inspired. 

"Do  you  really  mean  to  cross  the  sea?"  Her- 
nando  asked. 

"I  do.  God  has  commanded  me,  and  I  must 
obey.  Reason  and  science  tell  of  a  land  over  there, 
where  a  mighty  people  dwell,  greater  and  more 
powerful  than  the  nations  we  know;  and,  though 
the  wise  may  call  me  mad,  I  will  yet  find  them.  My 
hair  has  whitened  and  my  frame  grown  old,  in 

Vol.  1—4 


50  COLUMBIA 

cherishing  this  thought.  For  twenty  years  I  have 
pleaded  with  kings  and  princes  for  authority  and 
means  to  prosecute  my  voyage;  yet  all  have  denied 
me.  But  I  have  learned  to  wait,  and  as  Heaven  has 
spared  my  life  I  am  convinced  I  shall  yet  succeed." 

Columbus,  in  reality,  never  doubted  his  final 
success.  Feeling  assured  that  God  had  ordained  him 
for  this  special  work,  even  in  the  midst  of  his  keenest 
despondency  he  never  gave  up  in  utter  despair. 
Daily  he  prayed  for  success  and  strength  to  surmount 
every  difficulty  in  the  way  to  the  discovery  of  a  new 
world.  He  prayed  that  each  defeat  and  disappoint 
ment  might  only  strengthen  him  to  renewed  energy. 
What  man  with  such  determination  can  fail?  No 
gate  is  barred  to  him  who  works  with  patience  in  the 
light  of  understanding. 

The  children,  watched  him  wending  his  way  over 
the  hills  until  projecting  rocks  shut  him  out  from 
view,  and  then  they  hurried  homeward. 

Next  day  Hernando  went  to  Palos,  and  on  enter 
ing  the  village  he  heard  shouts  and  cries  from  a 
crowd  of  idle  boys.  As  he  hastened  forward  to  learn 
the  cause  of  their  merriment,  his  quick  ear  caught 
such  cries  as: 

"Madman  of  Genoa! " 

"Ho,  ho!  do  your  antipodes  walk  on  their  heads ?  " 

"And  do  trees  grow  with  tops  down?  " 

"Pray,  wise  sefior,  how  do  your  people  stay  on 
the  earth  and  not  fall  off  ?  " 

"And  won't  your  seas  pour  out ? " 


"PEACE.  LAD:  SAY   NO  MOKE." 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  51 

A  rollicking  crowd  of  vagabonds,  sailors,  thieves, 
and  smugglers  followed  a  tall,  stately  man,  whose 
snow-white  hair  and  grave  demeanor  demanded  a 
higher  respect  than  the  taunts  and  jeers  he  received. 
Even  smaller  children  joined  the  procession  and 
pointed  at  their  foreheads  as  the  grand  man,  unmoved 
by  their  jests  and  sallies  of  wit,  walked  along  the 
street.  Under  his  arm  he  carried  a  bundle  of  maps 
and  charts,  for  Columbus  was  a  cosmographer,  per 
petually  brooding  over  the  sinuous  lines  of  his  sea 
drawings.  By  the  sale  of  these,  too,  he  was  enabled 
to  eke  out  a  living  for  himself. 

The  lad,  recognizing  his  friend  and  rescuer  thus 
exposed  to  taunts  and  insults,  grew  furious  with  rage, 
and,  leaping  to  his  side,  turned  on  the  mob  and 
cried : 

"For  shame,  cowards!  How  dare  you  insult  so 
good  and  great  a  man?"  At  which  the  troop  of 
vagabonds  roared  in  derision. 

Laying  his  arm  upon  Hernando's  shoulder,  he 
drew  the  boy  closely  to  his  side  and  said : 

"Peace,  lad;    say  no  more." 

' '  They  shall  not  insult  you  ! ' '-  Hernando  answered, 
his  eyes  filling  with  tears. 

With  a  sweet,  forgiving  smile,  indicating  how  far 
he  stood  above  malice  and  revenge,  Columbus  took 
the  boy's  hand  in  his  own,  and  said: 

"Come  with  me." 

As  a  father  would  lead  a  child,  he  conducted 
him  to  the  same  public-house  to  which  they  had 


52  COLUMBIA 

directed  their  steps  on  the  day  of  the  bull-fight;  the 
mob,  hooting  and  jeering,  followed  them  almost  to 
the  door.  In  a  room  in  which  they  would  not  be 
interrupted,  Columbus  sat  down,  Hernando  at  his 
side,  and  said: 

"My  lad,  I  pray  you  to  think  no  more  of  that 
foolish  rabble,  I  have  grown  accustomed  to  their 
sneers.  You  are  young  and  impulsive:  so  once  was 
I,  but  time  and  long  suffering  have  changed  me. 
Yet  so  long  have  men  taunted  me  that  but  for  my 
conviction  that  I  am  called  of  Heaven,  and  cannot 
resist  the  promptings  of  the  voice  within,  I  should 
have  long  ago.  believed  that  I  was  mad.  If  I  be  mad, 
so  were  the  great  writers  whose  works  I  have  studied. 
In  Plato's  Atlantis  we  read  of  the  country  of  which 
Marco  Polo  tells  us.  If  I  be  mad,  so  too  were  they; 
but  God  and  reason  tell  me  they  were  perfectly  sane 
and  truthful." 

"You  find  no  reason  for  doubt? "  asked  the  boy. 

"I  do  not.  I  have  seen  the  maps  furnished  by 
Paulo  Toscanelli,  made  from  the  original  maps  of 
Marco  Polo  and  Ptolemy,  and  according  to  those 
maps,  a  voyager  sailing  directly  west  would  be  sure 
to  reach  the  countries  described  by  Marco  Polo  in 
his  travels.  I  have  corresponded  with  the  learned 
Toscanelli,  the  ablest  cosmographer  of  his  day,  and 
he  applauds  my  design  of  a  western  voyage." 

"But  those  countries,  if  there  are  such  countries 
across  the  sea,  are  probably  peopled  by  wild,  fierce 
creatures." 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  53 

"There  may  be  many  wild  and  curious  people 
beyond  the  sea,  but  we  shall  also  find  a  grand  coun 
try.  A  world  lies  there,  far  surpassing  ours,  and  it 
is  to  bring  our  people  into  closer  relation  with  that 
world,  and  to  discover  new  countries  for  our  king 
and  queen,  that  I  propose  to  risk  my  life  on  this 
voyage. 

"The  city  of  Kanbalu,  in  the  province  of  Cathay," 
he  continued,  "is  twenty-four  miles  square,  and  the 
manufactures  and  merchandise  brought  there  are 
enough  to  supply  the  universe." 

"Tell  me  all  about  it,  please,"  the  boy  cried,  his 
eyes  beaming  with  enthusiasm;  and  Columbus,  who 
never  tired  of  the  subject,  resumed: 

"Precious  stories  are  to  be  seen  there  in  abundance, 
the  pearls,  the  silks,  and  divers  perfumes  of  the  East. 
Scarcely  a  day  passes  without  the  arrival  of  a  thou 
sand  cars  laden  with  silk." 

"And  the  palace  of  the  Grand  Khan  is  there  too. 
What  a  magnificent  building  that  must  be!  "  cried  the 
boy,  his  dark  eyes  sparkling  with  interest. 

"The  Grand  Khan's  palace  is  a  group  of  palaces 
four  miles  in  circuit.  The  interior  is  resplendent 
with  gold  and  silver,  and  in  it  are  guarded  the  pre 
cious  vases  and  jewels  of  the  sovereign.  All  the 
appointments  of  the  Grand  Khan  for  war,  for  the 
chase,  and  for  the  various  festivities  with  which  he 
is  won't  to  amuse  himself,  are  too  gorgeous  for  our 
description." 

"How  wonderful!" 


54  COLUMBIA 

"Wonderful  as  they  are,  the  province  of  Cathay 
is  far  inferior  to  Mangi.  It  contains  twelve  hundred 
cities." 

The  boy  was  silent  with  amazement,  and  Colum 
bus,  warming  up  with  his  theme,  went  on: 

"Quinsai,  the  capital,  Marco  Polo  says,  is  the  city 
of  heaven.  He  entered  the  city,  examined  it  dili 
gently,  and  affirms  it  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world,  for 
it  is  one  hundred  miles  in  circuit.  Like  Venice, 
it  is  built  on  little  islands,  and  has  twelve  thousand 
stone  bridges,  the  arches  of  which  are  so  high  that 
the  largest  vessels  pass  under  them  without  having 
to  lower  a  mast.  It  has  three  thousand  baths  and 
six  hundred  thousand  families.  It  abounds  with 
magnificent  houses,  and  has  a  lake  within  its  walls 
thirty  miles  in  circumference,  on  the  banks  of  which 
are  the  superb  palaces  of  people  of  rank.  Mangi  was 
conquered  by  the  Great  Khan,  who  divided  it  into 
nine  kingdoms,  and  appointed  a  tributary  king  over 
each.  He  draws  an  immense  revenue  from  it,  for 
the  country  abounds  in  gold  and  silver,  sugar,  spices, 
and  perfumes." 

"Why  do  you  not  go  there? "  asked  the  boy. 

"No  one  will  help  me,"  was  the  answer.  "My 
argument  is  unheeded,  for  few  believe  the  world  is 
round.  I  have  brought  to  bear  my  best  argument, 
and  told  them,  over  and  over  again,  that  by  the 
compass  we  can  now  sail  unknown  seas,  and  with 
the  astrolabe,  by  the  altitude,  determine  our  dis 
tance  from  the  equator.  I  tell  them  there  is  a 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  55 

world  of  wealth  and  grandeur  awaiting  the  bold 
discoverer." 

It  was  on  these  airy  stories  of  kings  and  golden 
palaces  that  Columbus  built  his  hopes  and  theories 
of  a  new,  unexplored  world.  Many  other  wild 
tales  of  a  land  beyond  the  unknown  sea  were  going 
the  rounds.  Pieces  of  wood,  strangely  carved,  had 
been  borne  in  by  the  tide;  two  dead  bodies  of  an 
unknown  race  were  said  to  have  drifted  to  one  of 
the  Canaries.  The  inhabitants  of  these  far  western 
isles  declared  that  islands  could  be  seen  still  west  of 
them;  and  so  firm  were  they  in  the  belief  that  they 
asked  permission  of  the  king  of  Portugal  to  discover 
and  take  possession  of  them. 

The  minds  of  the  people  were  full  of  wild,  fantastic 
notions  of  this  imaginary  land.  Some  supposed  it  to 
be  the  Antilla  mentioned  by  Aristotle;  others,  the 
island  of  Seven  Cities  —  so  called  from  an  ancient 
legend  of  seven  bishops,-  who,  with  a  multitude  of 
followers,  fled  from  Spain  at  the  time  of  the  Moorish 
conquest,  and,  guided  by  Heaven  to  some  unknown 
island  on  the  ocean,  founded  on  it  seven  splendid  cities. 
Others  thought  the  island  seen,  the  legendary  island 
of  St.  Brandon,  named  after  a  Scottish  priest  who, 
tradition  said,  had  gone  away  and  established  an  em 
pire  on  some  unknown  island,  about  the  year  A.  D.  688. 

Whether  Columbus  believed  all  these  stories  or 
not,  he  knew  that  bold  explorers  had  begun  to  navi 
gate  the  unknown  ocean,  and  that  his  new  world 
could  not  long  remain  undiscovered. 


56  COLUMBIA 

"Have  you  asked  any  one  to  help  you?  "  inquired 
the  boy,  after  the  narrator  had  paused  in  his  recital 
of  the  wonders  of  the  new  world. 

"Yes,  many,  and  I  still  ask.  I  am  here  to  meet 
the  Duke  of  Medina  Celi  again.  Some  time  ago  he 
entertained  me  at  his  house,  listened  with  the  air 
of  conviction  to  my  projects,  and  was  once  on  the 
point  of  granting  three  or  four  caravels,  when  he 
changed  his  mind,  thinking  such  important  discoveries 
belonged  to  some  monarch  who  could  take  possession 
of  them." 

"Have  you  explained  your  plans  to  any  mon 
arch?  " 

"I  applied  to  King  John  of  Portugal;  he  listened 
to  all  I  had  to  say,  gained  all  my  points  of  informa 
tion,  referred  my  proposition  to  a  learned  junto,  and, 
while  I  was  kept  in  suspense  awaiting  his  decision, 
sent  a  fleet  on  the  very  course  I  had  laid  down.  They 
failed,  for  Heaven  will  never  reward  such  treachery. 
I  have  quitted  King  John  and  have  declined  all  his 
offers  to  renew  the  negotiations.  My  brother  Barthol 
omew  is  on  his  way  to  carry  proposals  to  the  king  of 
England,  but  I  have  little  hope  from  that  quarter." 

"Have  you  tried  to  interest  King  Ferdinand  and 
Queen  Isabella? " 

"They  are  too  much  occupied.  Conquest  and 
expulsion  of  the  infidel  fills  their  minds,  and  though 
I  have  again  and  again  been  promised  an  audience 
with  them,  I  have  again  and  again  been  disappointed. 
'Hope  deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick,'  and  I  have 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  57 

often  been  sick  at  heart !  Did  I  not  know  that  Heaven 
had  ordained  me  for  this  work,  I  should  have  aban 
doned  it  years  ago.  Falsehood,  perfidy,  and  dishonor 
of  people  in  high  places,  disappointments  and  shattered 
hopes,  turned  my  hair  white  at  thirty.  During  all 
these  years,  I  have  been  exposed  to  continual  scoffs 
and  indignities,  such  as  you  have  witnessed  to-day; 
being  ridiculed  by  the  ignorant  as  a  dreamer,  and 
stigmatized  by  the  illiberal  as  an  adventurer.  The 
very  children  point  to  their  foreheads  as  I  pass,  and 
call  me  the  madman  of  Genoa." 

"Surely  you  will  never  give  up?  " 

"Give  up!  Never!  Had  not  Heaven  called  me 
to  this  work,  I  must  have  died  of  a  broken  heart  years 
ago;  but  being  called  of  God,  I  cannot  die  until  it  is 
accomplished.  Through  my  friends,  the  duke  of 
Medina  Cell  and  Alonzo  de  Quintilla  I  have  been 
enabled  to  gain  the  countenance  of  Pedro  Gonzalez 
de  Mendoza,  Archbishop  of  Toledo,  and  Grand 
Cardinal  of  Spain.  These  have  made  intercession 
with  the  monarchs,  and  a  council  of  the  wisest  men 
in  Spain  is  to  be  held  in  Salamanca.  Before  this 
council  I  am  to  appear  and  state  my  theories,  and 
they  will  make  report  to  the  royal  princes  now  fight 
ing  with  the  Moors." 

' '  Then  why  are  you  not  hopeful  ?  For  surely  they 
will  become  convinced." 

"There  is  little  reason  to  be  hopeful.  They  are 
men  wise  in  their  own  conceit,  and  as  my  theories 
will  conflict  with  their  own  set  notions,  I  feel  that  they 


58  COLUMBIA 

will  be  rejected  as  impractical.  I  have  learned  bitter 
lessons  from  men  theoretically  wise." 

"I  thought  you  said  you  would  succeed." 

"In  the  end  I  will,  but  I  fear  not  with  them. 
There  may  be  years  of  disappointment,  shattered 
hopes,  and  heart-aches  yet  in  store  for  me  before 
success  crowns  my  efforts.  But  God's  will  cannot 
be  balked,  and  He  sends  me  on  this  mission." 

"Sefior,"  cried  the  boy,  suddenly,  seizing  the  hand 
of  Columbus  in  both  his  own,  while  his  eyes  sparkled 
with  a  new,  strange  hope,  "make  me  a  promise." 

"What?" 

"I  told  you  the  story  of  my  father." 

"Yes." 

"•I  want  to  go  with  you  on  your  voyage  to  the  new 
world." 

"Child,  you  know  not  what  you  ask." 

"I  do,  good  sefior.  I  too  am  called  of  Heaven  to 
rescue  a  captive  father.  I  must  go,  for  I  feel  that 
this  opportunity  to  rescue  my  father  is  sent  from 
Heaven." 

Columbus  gazed  on  the  fresh,  ardent,  young  face 
and  black,  flashing  eyes,  and  did  not  smile  or  say  he 
spoke  foolishly.  After  a  moment's  thought  he  an 
swered  : 

"On  one  condition  only  may  you  go." 

"On  what  condition,  sefior?" 

"You  must  gain  the  consent  of  your  grandmother. 
I  have  a  son  of  your  age.  I  would  not  take  him  with 
me,  and  I  begin  to  love  you  almost  as  much  as  if  you 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  59 

were  a  son.  I  hesitate  to  expose  one  so  young  to  the 
dangers  and  hardships  of  such  a  voyage." 

The  lad  was  jubilant;  he  felt  that  he  could  easily 
win  permission;  yet  he  felt  a  pang  at  thought  of 
leaving  Christina  and  the  grandmother  who  had 
been  so  kind  to  him.  On  ascertaining  that  Colum 
bus  was  soon  to  set  out  for  Salamanca,  he  exacted 
a  promise  from  him,  that,  should  he  gain  his  grand 
mother's  consent,  he  might  accompany  him  thither. 

On  his  return  Hernando  found  Senora  Doria 
and  Christina  busy  with  their  household  duties. 
The  expression  of  happiness  on  the  pretty  face  of 
Christina  grew  to  undisguised  jojiulness  as  Hernando 
approached.  He  dared  not  speak  to  the  grand 
mother  until  he  had  confided  in  Christina;  so  he 
took  her  aside  and  told  her  of  his  interview  with 
Columbus. 

"Then  you  will  go  away?"  and  the  pretty  face 
fell  and  grew  so  sad  that  he  kissed  her  again  and  again, 
and  assured  her  that,  when  his  father  was  found,  he 
would  return  and  never  leave  her.  Then  together 
they  returned  to  the  grandmother,  where  Hernando 
again  made  known  his  plan.  Through  the -entire 
recital  the  grandmother  sat  in  determined  silence. 

"Grandame!"  cried  the  boy,  beginning  to  fear 
her  unresponsiveness,  "  don't  you  know  how  my  father 
calls  to  me  from  across  the  sea  ?  Oh,  will  you  not  let 
me  go  to  him?" 

"Hush,  child.  You  are  mad  to  think  of  such  a 
thing,"  said  his  grandmother. 


gO  COLUMBIA 

He  quitted  the  cottage,  and  wandered  to  the  little 
glen  by  the  sea,  where  he  sank  down  upon  the  mossy 
bank  of  a  brooklet,  and  burying  his  face  in  his  hands, 
burst  into  a  flood  of  tears.  He  had  sobbed  there  bu* 
a  short  time  when  a  pair  of  light  feet  came  skipping 
over  the  rocks,  a  fairy-like  being  bent  over  the  sad 
youth,  and  a  pair  of  tender  eyes,  beaming  from  out 
a  profusion  of  glossy  curls,  were  full  upon  him.  Chris- 
tip*.,  who  always  shared  his  troubles,  had  come  to 
console  him  in  his  disappointment. 

The  old  seilora  was  ill  at  ease  at  having  refused 
thp.  lad's  request.  She  imbibed  all  the  superstitions 
of  the  age,  and  believed  that  the  boy  had  heard  the 
spirit  of  his  father  calling  him  to  come  to  his  rescue 
across  the  waters.  All  afternoon  her  mind  dwelt  on 
the  subject,  and  when  she  retired  at  night  it  was  the 
last  thought  of  her  waking  moments. 

In  sleep  it  did  not  leave  her,  for  she  was  scarcely 
locked  in  slumber  before  her  dreaming  fancy,  look 
ing  out  across  the  broad  ocean  to  the  westward,  saw 
a  mighty  light  flash  over  the  sea.  She  seemed  trans 
ported  to  the  shores  of  an  unknown  land,  where 
strange,  gnome-like  figures  with  hard,  cruel  faces 
met  her  on  every  hand.  Amid  the  cries  of  slaves 
and  clank  of  chains  she  beheld  Hernando's  father. 

But,  oh,  how  changed!  Years  of  slavery  and 
suffering  had  worn  him  away  to  a  skeleton,  and  fixing 
his  agonized  eyes  on  her,  he  groaned : 

"Why  do  you  withhold  from  me  my  only  hope  of 
release  from  a  living  death?  " 


THE  MADMAN  OF  GENOA  61 

The  senora  awoke  with  a  shriek.  The  next  m.oin- 
ing  she  said: 

"Hernando,  I  saw  your  father  last  night  in  a 
vision,  and  I  will  now  consent  for  you  to  go  with 
Sefior  Columbus  to  the  new  world  and  release  him 
from  his  captors. " 

With  a  cry  of  joy  he  embraced  his  grandmother. 
Christina  tried  hard  to  keep  back  the  grief  that  well- 
nigh  overpowered  her. 

"Who  will  care  for  you  when  I  am  gone?"  he 
asked  her  sadly. 

"That  will  be  my  duty,"  the  grandmother  an 
swered. 

That  very  day  Hernando  went  to  Palos,  where 
he  found  Columbus  and  claimed  fulfillment  of  his 
promise.  Placing  his  hand  on  the  boy's  head,  the 
great  man  said: 

"Poor  lad,  I  fear  you  but  half  realize  the  dangers 
before  us;  yet  henceforth  let  our  destinies  be  one; 
and  surely  no  sacrifices  are  too  great  for  so  great 
undertakings." 


CHAPTER  rv. 

THE    WISE   MEN   OF   SALAMANCA. 

ABOUT  a  league  from  Salamanca,  once  the  great 
seat  of  learning  of  Spain,  the  road  winds  about 
among  hills,  mountains,  and  picturesque  passes,  in 
graceful  serpentine  curves,  disclosing  constant  and 
varied  scenes  of  beauty. 

The  sun  had  not  been  an  hour  in  the  sky  when  a 
man  and  a  boy,  each  mounted  on  a  mule,  came  jog 
ging  slowly  along  the  tortuous  way.  As  the  distant 
towers  of  Salamanca  loomed  into  view,  the  face  of 
the  tired  lad  grew  brighter  in  anticipation  of  reach 
ing  the  end  of  a  long,  fatiguing  journey. 

"We'll  soon  be  there,  senor,"  said  Hernando, 
pointing  toward  the  tall  spires  and  steeples  of  the  old 
Dominican  Convent  of  St.  Stephen,  where  they  were 
to  be  entertained  during  the  conference.  In  the  hall 
of  the  convent  Columbus  was  to  appear  before  the 
great  body  of  theologians  and  philosophers  to  ex 
pound  his  new  theroies. 

"  Yes,  we  shall  soon  be  there,"  Columbus  answered. 

"And  you  will  convince  them,  I  know." 

The  wise  man  shook  his  white  head  somewhat 
dubiously,  as  he  answered : 

"False  logic  often  convinces  as  readily  as  sound. 
62 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA 


63 


I  feel  that  I  am  not  understood,  and  justice  cannot 
be  given  my  plans  until  I  have  shaken  the  throne  with 
them.  Men  with  set  notions  cannot  be  moved." 
And  Columbus  bowed  his  head  thoughtfully. 

He  was  not  of  a  despondent  nature;  grave  and 
earnest,  he  was  yet  far  from  possessing  a  melancholy 
temperament.  On  the  journey  he  had  traveled  for 
hours  in  silence,  buried  in  thought.  Feeling  himself 


"  THE  TREASURES  OF  LEARNING  WERE  IMMURED  IN  MONASTERIES." 

called  of  Heaven  for  this  special  work,  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  that  his  thoughts  were  beyond  those  of 
mortal  ken.  Hernando  seldom  disturbed  his  medi 
tations.  His  own  sad  thoughts  checked  the  natural 
overflow  of  his  childish  spirits.  Added  to  the  one 
great  shadow  that  had  fallen  on  his  young  life  —  the 
unknown  fate  of  his  father  —  was  the  regret  at  leav 
ing  Christina  and  his  grandmother. 

Reaching  Salamanca,  they  proceeded  at  once  to 
the  old  Dominican  Convent  of  St.  Stephen,  where 


64  COLUMBIA 

they  were  to  be  lodged  and  entertained  during  the 
course  of  the  examination. 

At  this  period  in  the  world's  history,  religion  and 
science  were  closely  associated  in  Spain.  The  treas 
ures  of  learning  were  immured  in  monasteries,  and 
the  professors'  chairs  were  filled  from  the  cloister. 
The  clergy  dominated  the  State  as  well  as  the  Church, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  hereditary  nobles,  posts 
of  honor  and  influence  at  court  were  almost  entirely 
confined  to  the  ecclesiastics. 

Columbus  and  his  young  companion  were  met  at 
the  gate  by  a  sleek,  smiling  old  friar. 

"Welcome  to  this  holy  convent;  you  have  jour 
neyed  a  long  distance,  judging  by  the  dust  on  your 
garments,  and  you  stand  in  need  of  rest,"  was  the 
good  friar's  greeting. 

"Our  journey  has  been  fatiguing,"  Columbus 
answered. 

"And  may  the  saints  be  praised  that  you  were  not 
assailed  by  the  infidel  Moors." 

The  very  thought  of  the  Moors  caused  the  friar 
to  pause  a  moment,  cross  himself,  and  pray  that  the 
marauding  infideJ  might  be  driven  from  the  land  of 
the  Christian. 

"It  is  coming  too,"  he  added.  "Our  good  sover 
eigns  are  gaining  all  the  while,  and  ere  long  Granada 
must  fall." 

"I  pray  Heaven  it  may,"  Columbus  devoutly 
answered. 

Entering    the  court,  servants    came  to  take  the 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  65 

mules  away  to  their  stalls.  The  good  friar,  stroking 
the  boy's  head,  turned  to  Columbus  and  asked : 

"Is  the  bright  lad  your  son?" 

"He  is  an  orphan,  a  noble  lad  whom  I  love  almost 
as  if  he  were  my  son." 

"Ay,  may  he  find  a  father  in  you.  I  will  take  you 
to  your  apartments,  where  you  will  find  food  and 
wine,  and  you  must  have  rest,  for  the  conference 
begins  its  session  tomorrow.  The  junto  is  already 
assembling." 

The  boy  carefully  watched  the  face  of  Columbus 
to  see  if  this  intelligence  produced  any  change,  but 
his  features  expressed  neither  fear  nor  pleasure  at 
the  announcement.  His  face  was  grave,  grand,  and 
noble,  as  dignified  and  unmoved  as  if  carved  from 
marble.  Passing  beneath  the  portals  of  the  grand 
old  convent,  they  entered  the  chamber  which  the  friar 
had  set  apart  for  them.  When  dinner  was  served 
Hernando  was  hungry,  for  the  journey  had  given  him 
a  keen  appetite;  but  the  mind  of  Columbus  was  so  full 
of  his  great  subject  that  he  paid  little  heed  to  his 
food. 

All  that  day  they  saw  no  one  save  their  attend 
ant,  and  Hernando,  being  wearied,  was  urged  to 
retire  early  in  the  evening.  When  the  lad  closed 
his  eyes  in  sleep,  Columbus  sat  at  a  table,  poring  over 
his  charts  and  arranging  his  thoughts  for  the  mo 
mentous  discussion  that  was  to  come  on  the  morrow. 
Whether  or  not  he  closed  his  eyes  in  sleep  that  night 
the  world  will  never  know,  but  when  the  lad  awoke 

Vol.  1—5 


66 


COLUMBIA 


the  sun  was  rising,  and  the  great  cosmographer  still 
sat  poring  over  his  books  and  maps. 

Rising,  Hernando  dressed,  and  going  to  the  side 

of  his  benefactor, 
asked : 

"Have  you 
slept  at  all?" 

"I  am  ready 
now  to  present 
my  cause,"  was 
the  answer. 

Instinctively 
Columbus  knew 
that  he  was  that 
day  to  enter  up 
on  the  greatest 
struggle  of  his 
life.  He  felt  that 
the  learned  men 
in  whose  august 
presence  he  was 
to  present  his 
scheme  would  be 
more  eager  to  pick  flaws  in  his  arguments  than 
to  accept  them,  even  though  he  proved  his  plans 
practicable  and  himself  worthy  of  the  king's  pat 
ronage. 

"May  I  go  with  you?"  asked  the  boy. 

"Is  it  your  wish?" 

"Yes." 

r 


THE  GREAT  COSMOGRAPHEK. 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  67 

"The  chances  of  success  are  small." 

"Why  do  you  say  so?" 

"I  believe  that  the  greater  part  of  the  learned 
junto  are  already  prepossessed  against  me." 

"From  what  cause?" 

"I  am  neither  rich  nor  of  noble  blood,  and  men 
of  place  and  dignity  are  likely  to  be  prejudiced  against 
such  an  applicant.  They  already  consider  me  as  a 
kind  of  delinquent  or  impostor,  whose  faults  are  to 
be  detected  and  exposed.  Again,  I  am  only  an  ob 
scure  navigator,  a  member  of  no  learned  institution, 
destitute  of  all  the  trappings  and  circumstances  which 
are  thought  necessary  to  make  one  worthy  of  consid 
eration.  But  if  this  day  is  to  be  one  of  humiliation, 
come  and  be  a  witness  to  it." 

Columbus  came  and  labored  in  the  most  inoppor 
tune  age  of  the  world's  history  for  his  great  achieve 
ment,  and  nothing  but  his  indomitable  will  coupled 
with  the  enthusiastic  hallucination  that  he  was  called 
by  Heaven  to  liberate  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  this 
discovery  his  only  means  of  acquiring  the  necessary 
funds,  could  have  stimulated  him  to  such  prodigious 
efforts.  The  imperfect  state  of  science  at  the  time 
and  the  manner  in  which  knowledge,  though  rapidly 
extending,  was  still  impeded  in  its  progress  by  mon 
astic  conservatism,  were  against  him.  All  subjects 
were  still  contemplated  through  the  obscure  medium 
of  those  ages,  when  the  lights  of  antiquity  were 
trampled  out  and  faith  was  left  to  fill  the  place  of 
inquiry.  Bewildered  in  a  maze  of  religious  contro- 


6S  COLUMBIA 

versy,  mankind  had  retraced  its  steps  and  receded 
from  the  boundary  line  of  ancient  knowledge. 

The  hall  of  the  old  convent  presented  a  striking 
spectacle  on  this  memorable  occasion.  The  learning 
and  wisdom  of  Spain  were  there  assembled  to  listen 
to  the  theories  and  vagaries  of  an  unknown  man. 

Upon  a  dais  at  one  end  of  the  hall  sat  the  learned 
junto,  very  grave,  serious,  and  wise.  On  entering  the 
hall  into  the  presence  of  the  assembled  wisdom  of 
Spain,  the  unknown  navigator  paused  a  moment. 
He  was  dressed  simply  and  his  snow-white  hair  and 
beard  gave  him  a  patriarchal  appearance.  He  held 
Hernando's  hand  in  his  left  and  under  his  right  arm  he 
carried  a  bundle  of  maps  and  charts.  He  gazed  on 
the  assembly  to  search  their  faces  and,  if  possible, 
read  their  disposition  toward  him.  In  the  eyes  of 
one  or  two  he  saw  marks  of  sympathy;  in  others, 
interest  or  curiosity;  but  he  read  in  a  majority  of  the 
junto  only  unyielding  prejudice.  Still,  their  appear 
ance  was  so  much  more  favorable  than  he  had 
expected  that  Columbus  stooped  and  whispered  to 
the  lad: 

"They  are  kindlier  than  I  anticipated." 

Never  had  a  more  imposing  scene  been  presented 
in  the  old  convent.  A  simple,  obscure  mariner 
stood  before  an  array  of  professors,  friars,  and  digni 
taries  of  the  Church,  to  plead  the  cause  of  a  new  and 
unknown  world.  At  first  only  the  friars  of  St. 
Stephen  seemed  to  show  any  interest  in  the  matter; 
the  other  members  of  the  university  yawned  and 


70  COLUMBIA 

lolled  in  their  chairs,  and  showed  every  indication  of 
weariness.  Columbus  advanced  toward  the  junto 
and  bowed;  then  one  of  the  friars  of  St.  Stephen 
said: 

"Proceed  at  once  with  your  theories." 

"Most  holy  and  learned  fathers — "  His  tones 
were  deep  and  rich,  as  if  flowing  from  the  inmost 
depths  of  a  great  soul.  At  the  sound  of  his  voice 
every  eye  sparkled,  every  face  expressed  interest,  and 
listless  indifference  gave  place  to  eagerness.  "I 
come,  most  holy  fathers,  called  of  Heaven  to  plead 
the  cause  of  an  unknown  world  —  a  world  lying  be 
yond  the  seas  —  a  land  where  splendor,  beauty,  and 
magnificence,  such  as  have  never  come  to  us  in  our 
fondest  dreams,  await  the  explorer." 

As  he  became  engrossed  hi  his  theme,  a  glow 
which  seemed  born  of  inspiration  overspread  his  face, 
and  the  lad  gazing  on  him  in  wonder,  muttered  to 
himself: 

"Surely  he  is  caUed  of  God!" 

All  save  the  learned  friars  of  St.  Stephen  appeared 
to  have  entrenched  themselves  behind  the  dogged 
position  that  after  so  many  profound  philosophers 
and  cosmographers  had  been  studying  the  form  of 
the  world,  and  so  many  able  navigators  had  been  sail 
ing  about  it  for  several  thousand  years,  it  was  the 
height  of  presumption  for  an  ordinary  man  to  assert 
that  there  remained  such  a  vast  discovery  to  be 
made. 

But  Columbus,  having  resurrected  the  theories  of 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  71 

Ptolemy,  Marco  Polo,  and  Aristotle,  had  pinned  his 
faith  to  the  judgment  of  the  ancient  philosophers 
and  astronomers,  rather  than  navigators  or  intolerant 
churchmen  and  philosophers  of  his  own  age. 

As  he  gradually  unfolded  his  plans,  producing 
argument  after  argument  to  establish  his  doctrines, 
one  of  the  most  unyielding  members  of  the  junto 
suddenly  interrupted  him  with: 

"What  you  say  is  sacrilege." 

"Why  say  you  so?"  asked  Columbus. 

"It  is  in  direct  conflict  with  the  Bible,  the  New 
Testament,  the  prophets,  the  epistles  and  gospels, 
as  well  as  the  expositions  of  various  saints  and  com 
mentators,  St.  Chrysostom,  St.  Augustine,  St.  Jerome, 
St.  Gregory,  St.  Basil,  St.  Ambrose,  and  Lactantius 
Firmianus,  the  redoubted  champion  of  our  faith." 

Being  a  religious  enthusiast  himself,  Columbus 
was  hardly  prepared  for  this  turn  of  the  discussion. 
At  that  time,  doctrinal  points  were  bound  up  with 
philosophical  discussions,  and  mathematical  demon 
stration  was  allowed  no  weight  if  it  appeared  to  clash 
with  a  text  of  Scripture  or  a  commentary  of  one  of 
the  fathers. 

After  a  moment's  silence,  Columbus  replied: 

"Holy  fathers,  I  reverence  »the  doctrines  and 
Scriptures  of  the  Holy  Church,  but  the  possibility  of 
the  antipodes  in  the  southern  hemisphere  is  an  opinion 
so  generally  maintained  by  the  ancients  as  to  be 
pronounced  by  Pliny  the  great  contest  between  the 
learned  and  the  ignorant." 


72  COLUMBIA 

Nevertheless,  the  antipodes  proved  only  a  further 
stumbling  block  in  the  way  of  the  sages  of  Salamanca. 

"Your  statements  cannot  be  true/'  interposed 
the  principal  objector,  who  had  surrounded  himself 
with  the  works  of  Lactantius  and  St.  Augustine, 
who  in  those  days  were  considered  of  almost  divine 
authority.  "Listen,  while  I  read  what  Lactantius 
says  on  the  subject." 

And  the  friar  read: 

"  'Is  there  any  one  so  foolish  as  to  believe  there 
are  antipodes  with  their  feet  opposite  ours;  people 
who  walk  with  their  heels  upward  and  their  heads 
hanging  down;  that  there  is  a  part  of  the  world 
in  which  all  things  are  topsy-turvy;  where  trees  grow 
with  their  branches  downward,  and  where  it  rains, 
hails,  and  snows  upward  ?  The  idea  of  the  roundness 
of  the  earth  was  the  cause  of  the  inventing  this  fable 
of  the  antipodes  with  their  heels  in  the  air;  for  the 
philosophers,  having  once  erred,  go  on  in  their  absurd 
ities,  defending  one  with  another.'  ' 

The  friar  paused,  laid  down  Lactantius,  and  took 
up  as  his  next  authority,  St.  Augustine.  Resuming 
the  thread  of  his  discourse,  he  added: 

"St.  Augustine  pronounces  the  idea  or  existence 
of  antipodes,  with  which  this  would-be  explorer  seems 
so  thoroughly  imbued,  to  be  incompatible  with  the 
historical  foundations  of  our  faith;  since  to  assert 
that  there  are  inhabited  lands  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  globe  would  be  to  maintain  that  there  are  races 
not  descended  from  Adam,  it  being  impossible  for 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  73 

them  to  have  passed  the  intervening  ocean.  This 
would  be,  therefore,  to  discredit  the  Bible,  which  ex 
pressly  declares  that  all  men  are  descended  from  one 
common  parent.  There  are  other  points  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures  incompatible  with  the  theory  of  this  man. 
I  believe  he  says  the  earth  is  spherical  in  form?" 

The  friar  paused  for  a  reply,  and  without  any 
hesitation  Columbus  said: 

"  Holy  father,  it  is." 

"Then  to  his  proposition  I  can  bring  the  most 
direct  proof  that  he  is  in  conflict  with  God  himself. 
It  is  observed  that,  in  the  Psalms,  the  heavens  are  said 
to  be  extended  like  a  hide;  that  according  to  our  com 
mentators,  refers  to  the  curtain  or  covering  of  a  tent, 
which  among  the  pastoral  people  of  ancient  times  was 
made  of  the  hides  of  animals;  and  even  St.  Paul, 
in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  compares  the  heavens 
to  a  tabernacle  or  tent  extending  over  the  earth, 
which  of  course  must,  by  the  very  necessity  of  the 
argument,  be  flat." 

"Holy  father,  I  fear  that  the  figurative  is  being 
construed  literally,"  interposed  Columbus. 

"It  is  hardly  for  you  to  decide  between  the  figura 
tive  and  the  literal  in  Holy  Law,"  answered  the  friar, 
sternly.  "You,  professing  to  be  a  Christian,  have 
proved  yourself  heterodox." 

Columbus  at  once  saw  there  was  danger  of  his 
being  wrongfully  accused,  and  had  begun  to  say 
something  in  his  own  defense  when  another  friar, 
more  versed  in  science,  rose  and  said: 


74  COLUMBIA 

"Admitting  that  the  earth  is  spherical  in  form, 
and  that  there  is  a  bare  possibility  of  an  opposite 
side  that  is  habitable,  we  all  know  from  scientific 
researches  that  it  is  impossible  for  one  to  arrive  there, 
in  consequence  of  the  insupportable  heat  of  the 
torrid  zone.  Again,  even  granting  that  this  point 
could  be  passed,  the  earth's  circumference  must  be 
so  great  as  to  require  at  least  three  years  to  make  the 
voyage,  and  as  it  would  be  impossible  to  take  suffi 
cient  provisions,  in  my  opinion,  all  would  perish  of 
hunger  and  thirst."  And  having  delivered  this 
remarkable  opinion,  the  august  personage  seated 
himself,  believing  that  he  had  settled  the  entire 
matter. 

Another  argued,  on  the  authority  of  Epicurus, 
that,  admitting  that  the  earth  was  spherical,  it  could 
only  be  inhabited  at  the  northern  hemisphere,  and 
that  section  only  was  canopied  by  the  heavens; 
that  the  opposite  side  was  chaos,  a  gulf,  or  a  mere 
waste  of  water.  If  a  ship  could  reach  the  extremity 
of  India,  she  could  never  get  back  again,  for  the 
rotundity  of  the  globe  would  present  a  mountain 
up  which  it  would  be  impossible  to  sail,  even  with 
the  most  favorable  wind. 

Other  objections,  more  weighty  in  nature,  and 
more  worthy  of  the  distinguished  university,  were 
then  advanced,  and  Hernando  began  to  tremble  for 
their  cause;  but  its  advocate  stood  unabashed  and 
unmoved  by  the  arguments  of  the  friars. 

When  all  the  objections  had  been  made,  Colum- 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  75 

bus  proceeded  to  reply  with  cogent  reasoning,  logical 
conclusions,  and  a  depth  of  religion  and  knowledge 
which  swept  away  the  dark  clouds  of  objection.  He 
showed  how  the  inspired  writers  were  not  speaking 
technically  as  cosmographers,  but  figuratively,  in 
language  addressed  to  all  comprehensions.  The 
ignorant  bigot  of  the  past  was  as  ready  to  misquote 
and  misinterpret  the  Scriptures  as  the  scoffing  infidel 
of  the  present. 

The  commentaries  of  the  fathers  Columbus 
treated  with  deference  as  pious  homilies,  but  not  as 
philosophical  propositions  which  it  was  necessary 
either  to  admit  or  refute.  But  the  objections  drawn 
from  ancient  philosophers  he  met  boldly  and  ably, 
upon  equal  terms,  for  he  was  well  prepared  on  all 
points  of  cosmography.  He  proved  conclusively 
that  the  most  illustrious  of  those  sages  believed  both 
hemispheres  to  be  habitable,  though  they  imagined 
that  the  torrid  zone  precluded  communication. 

Columbus  never  spoke  in  doubt  or  hesitation, 
but,  with  as  much  certainty  as  if  his  eyes  had  beheld 
the  promised  land.  Continuing,  he  said : 

"I  can  conclusively  obviate  that  difficulty.  I 
have  myself  voyaged  to  St.  George  la  Mina  in  Guinea, 
almost  under  the  equinoctial  line,  and  found  the 
region  not  only  traversable,  but  abounding  in  popu 
lation,  fruits,  and  pasturage." 

And  now,  as  the  simple,  unknown  navigator 
waxed  eloquent,  he  elicited  still  closer  attention 
from  all.  His  convictions  gave  him  confidence  in 


76  COLUMBIA 

the  execution  of  what  he  conceived  to  be  his  great 
mission,  and  his  ardent  temperament  was  fed  by  its 
own  generous  fires.  His  commanding  person;  his 
elevated  demeanor,  his  air  of  authority,  his  kindling 
eye,  and  the  persuasive  intonations  of  his  voice,  gave 
majesty  and  force  to  his  words,  as,  casting  aside  his 
maps  and  charts,  and  discarding  for  a  time  his  practi 
cal  and  scientific  lore,  his  visionary  spirit  took  fire 
at  the  doctrinal  objections  of  his  opponents,  and  met 
them  on  their  own  ground,  pouring  forth  those 
magnificent  texts  of  Scripture,  and  those  mysteri 
ous  predictions  of  the  prophets,  which  in  his  enthu 
siastic  moments  he  considered  as  types  and  annun 
ciations  of  the  sublime  discoveries  which  he  pro 
posed. 

The  first  sitting  closed  with  one  true  friend  gained. 
Influenced  alike  by  reason  and  eloquence,  Diego  de 
Deza  became  convinced  of  the  sanity  of  Columbus's 
views.  Diego  de  Deza  was  a  learned  friar  of  the 
Order  of  St.  Dominic  and  at  that  time  professor  of 
theology  in  the  Convent  of  St.  Stephen.  Later  he 
became  Archbishop  of  Seville,  the  second  ecclesiasti 
cal  dignitary  of  Spain.  This  able  divine  could 
appreciate  all  forms  of  wisdom.  Thoroughly  im 
pressed  with  the  worth  of  the  cause,  he  exercised 
almost  superhuman  powers  to  curb  the  blind  zeal  of 
his  more  intolerant  brethren  and  to  obtain  for  the 
unknown  mariner  a  dispassionate  if  not  an  unpreju 
diced  hearing. 

Day  after  day  Columbus  pleaded  before  the  junto, 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA 


77 


but  notwithstanding  his  every  exertion  there  was  a 
preponderating  mass  of  inert  bigotry  and  learned 
pride  in  this  erudite  body,  which  refused  to  yield  to 
the  demonstrations  of  an  obscure  foreigner,  without 
fortune  or  connections  or  any  academic  honors. 
The  most  serious  objection  to  his  contentions  was 
raised  late  in  the  discussion;  being  that  his  theory 


MOORISH  RUINS. 

could  not  be  reconciled  with  the  cosmography  of 
Ptolemy,  which  stationed  the  earth  in  the  center  of 
the  universe  and  to  which  all  scholars  yielded  implicit 
faith.  How  would  the  most  enlightened  of  those 
sages  have  been  astonished,  had  anyone  apprised  them 
that  the  man  Copernicus,  whose  solar  system  should 
reverse  the  grand  theory  of  Ptolemy,  was  then  in 
existence.  It  was  requisite,  before  Columbus  could 


78  COLUMBIA 

make  his  solutions  and  reasonings  understood,  that 
he  should  remove  from  the  minds  of  his  auditors 
those  erroneous  principles  on  which  their  objections 
were  founded  —  a  task  more  difficult  than  teaching  a 
new  doctrine. 

As  time  wore  on,  many  began  to  lose  interest  in 
the  conference,  and  the  decision  was  delayed  again 
and  again.  As  days  passed  and  news  of  battles  won 
and  campaigns  planned  came  from  the  front,  the 
junto  seemed  to  prefer  discussing  the  practical  ques 
tion  of  expelling  the  Moors  to  the  impractical  theory 
of  discovering  a  new  world.  A  voyage  to  one  of  the 
planets  would  today  be  regarded  with  as  much 
incredulity,  a  thing  as  wild  and  visionary,  as  was 
this  plan  of  Columbus.  Fernando  de  Talavera,  to 
whom  the  matter  was  especially  entrusted,  had  too 
little  esteem  for  it,  and  was  too  much  occupied  with 
the  stir  and  bustle  of  public  concerns,  to  press  it  to 
a  conclusion;  and  thus  the  inquiry  suffered  from 
continual  procrastination  and  neglect. 

Columbus  waited  day  after  day,  week  after  week, 
and  month  after  month  for  a  decision,  but  none 
came.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1487  the  Castilian  court 
had  departed  from  Salamanca,  and  repaired  to  Cor 
dova,  preparing  for  the  memorable  campaign  against 
Malaga.  Instead  of  waiting  in  idleness  the  decision 
of  the  junto,  Columbus  took  an  active  part  in  the 
campaign.  He  tried  to  persuade  Hernando  to  return 
to  his  home,  but  the  youth  said: 

"No,  no;     I   will  go  with  you.     You  are  my 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  SALAMANCA  79 

father's  only  hope,  and  I  will  not  be  parted  from 
you." 

"We  may  not  have  a  decision  for  months  yet," 
said  Columbus.  "When  we  do  receive  it,  the  chances 
are  that  it  will  be  against  us." 

"I  must  be  with  you  whatever  the  decision,"  the 
lad  answered. 

The  summer  of  1490  passed,  and  still  Columbus 
was  kept  in  tantalizing  suspense. 

Both  he  and  Hernando  fought  for  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  in  many  battles,  and  doubtless  their  perilous 
adventures  and  the  many  stirring  scenes  of  the  war 
made  the  days  spent  in  waiting  less  irksome. 

Columbus  and  the  boy  still  lingered  at  Cordova  in 
a  state  of  irritating  anxiety,  when  they  learned  that 
the  sovereigns  were  preparing  to  depart  on  a  cam 
paign  in  the  Vega  of  Granada,  determined  never  to 
raise  their  camp  from  before  the.  city  until  their 
victorious  banners  should  float  upon  its  towers. 

Columbus  knew  that  when  once  the  campaign 
was  opened  and  the  sovereigns  were  in  the  field,  it 
would  be  in  vain  to  expect  his  suit  to  receive  their 
attention.  He  was  wearied,  if  not  incensed,  at  the 
repeated  postponements  he  had  experienced,  and 
now  pressed  for  a  decisive  reply  with  an  eagerness 
that  would  not  admit  of  evasion. 

"I  must  have  a  decision  of  the  junto  at  once," 
was  the  word  sent  to  the  king;  and  Ferdinand,  sus 
pecting  that  Columbus  was  thinking  of  applying 
elsewhere  for  patronage,  ordered  Fernando  de 


80  COLUMBIA 

Talavera  to  hold  a  definite  conference  of  the  scientific 
men  to  whom  the  project  had  been  referred  and 
make  a  report.  The  bishop  tardily  complied,  and  at 
length  announced  to  their  .majesties,  as  the  general 
opinion  of  the  junto,  that  the  proposed  scheme  was 
vain  and  impossible  and  that  it  did  not  become  such 
great  princes  to  engage  in  an  enterprise  which  might 
prove  a  mere  chimera. 

But  Columbus  .still  retained,  in  the  person  of 
Friar  Diego  de  Deza,  one  enlightened  friend  and  one 
enthusiastic  soul,  and  he  so  tempered  matters  that 
the  plan  was  not  rejected.  Fernando  de  Talavera 
repaired  to  Cordova,  where  Columbus  still  lingered. 
With  hope  brightening  his  face,  Columbus  hastened 
to  meet  him,  and  asked: 

"Have  you  a  decision?  " 

"Yes." 

"Do  they  reject  it?" 

"No.  I  am  authorized  to  say  that  the  great  cares 
and  expenses  of  the  wars  have  rendered  it  impossible 
for  the  sovereigns  to  engage  in  any  new  enterprise; 
but,  when  the  war  is  over,  they  will  have  both  time 
and  inclination  to  treat  with  you  on  the  subject." 

Columbus'  countenance  fell,  and,  leaning  against 
the  wall,  he  said: 

"I  was  almost  foolish  enough  to  hope." 

"Does  not  this  promise  give  you  hope?"  asked 
the  royal  messenger. 

"It  is  but  a  starving  promise,  at  best,  after  so 
many  days  of  weary  attendance  and  deferred  hope." 


Vol.  1—6 


82  COLUMBIA 

But  he  gained  strength  and  courage  to  repair  to 
the  court  at  Seville,  and  receive  his  answer  from  the 
lips  of  his  sovereigns.  It  was  virtually  the  same, 
declining  to  engage  in  the  enterprise  at  present,  but 
promising,  when  the  war  was  over,  to  give  him  their 
aid  in  the  affair. 

"What  shall  we  do  now?  Shall  we  wait?" 
Hernando  asked  when  they  left  the  court. 

"It  is  of  no  use,"  Columbus  answered.  "This 
indefinite  postponement  is  only  a  court  mode  of 
evading  importunity.  We  will  leave  Spain." 

"Surely  they  will  reconsider." 

"I  have  no  confidence  in  vague  promises  which 
have  so  often  led  to  disappointment.  I  have  already 
been  beguiled  out  of  too  many  precious  years,  and 
tomorrow  I  will  turn  my  back  on  Seville  and  depart 
for  France." 


CHAPTER  V. 

FALL  OF  THE   CRESCENT. 

ABOUT  half  a  league  from  the  little  seaport  town 
of  Palos  de  Moguer,  in  Andalusia,  there  still  stands 
an  ancient  convent  of  Franciscan  friars,  dedicated 
to  Santa  Maria  de  Rabida.  One  day,  according  to 
the  multifarious  writings  of  the  Plieto,  which  are  still 
preserved  at  Seville,  a  stranger  on  foot,  in  humble 
guise  but  of  lofty  air,  accompanied  by  a  bright- 
faced  boy,  stopped  at  the  gate  of  the  convent,  and 
asked  the  porter  for  a  little  bread  and  water  for  his 
child.  While  receiving  this  humble  refreshment, 
the  prior  of  the  convent,  Juan  Perez  de  Marchena, 
happening  to  pass  by,  was  struck  by  the  appearance 
of  the  stranger,  and  observing,  from  his  air  and 
accent,  that  he  was  a  foreigner,  entered  into  conver 
sation  with  him  and  learned  the  particulars  of  his 
story.  That  stranger  was  Columbus. 

The  prior  was  a  man  of  extensive  information 
who,  from  his  close  proximity  to  Palos,  had  given 
considerable  attention  to  geography  and  nautical 
science.  The  inhabitants  of  Palos  were  among 
the  most  enterprising  navigators  of  Spain,  having 
made  frequent  voyages  and  discoveries  on  the  African 
coast.  The  prior  was  greatly  interested  by  the 

83 


84  COLUMBIA 

conversation  of  Columbus,  and  much  impressed  with 
the  grandeur  of  his  views.  It  was  a  remarkable 
occurrence,  in  the  monotonous  life  of  the  cloister,  to 
have  a  man  of  such  a  singular  character,  intent  on 
so  extraordinary  an  enterprise,  applying  for  bread 
and  water  at  the  gate  of  his  convent. 

When  the  prior  learned  that  the  voyager  was  on 
the  point  of  abandoning  Spain  to  seek  patronage  in 
the  court  of  France,  and  that  so  important  an  enter 
prise  was  about  to  be  lost  forever  to  the  country,  his 
patriotism  took  alarm.  Being  diffident  of  his  own 
judgment,  he  detained  Columbus  as  his  guest,  and 
sent  for  a  friend  —  Garcia  Fernandez  —  a  physician, 
resident  in  Palos.  Fernandez  was  equally  impressed 
with  the  appearance  and  conversation  of  the  stranger. 

"It  can  yet  be  arranged,  senor,"  asserted  the  good 
doctor,  "and  you  must  remain  a  while  longer." 

"Alas!  my  friends,  I  have  almost  abandoned 
hope.  The  king  and  queen  are  too  much  absorbed 
in  the  conquest  of  Granada  to  listen  to  my  theories. 
They  have  no  faith  in  me." 

"  You  must  stay  and  meet  some  friends  from  Palos. 
You  have  heard  of  the  Pinzons?  " 

"I  have,  though  I  never  have  seen  them." 

"You  shall  soon  meet  them,  and  they  shall  hear 
your  story." 

The  next  day  brought  together  those  famous  navi 
gators  who  were  destined  to  bring  to  each  other  eter 
nal  renown  and  ruin.  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was 
in  the  port  of  Palos  at  the  time. 


FALL  OF  THE  CRESCENT 


85 


At  this  time,  the  fame  of  the  Pinzons  was  far 
greater  than  that  of  Columbus,  and  Hernando,  who 
had  often  seen  them  when  in  port  at  Palos,  had  never 
cherished  any  higher  am 
bition  than  to  sail  in  one 
of  their  ships. 

The  prior  brought 
with  him  from  Palos  a 
tall,  powerful  man,  with 
broad,  high  brow  and 
dark  beard.  He  wore  a 
sword  and  breastplate, 
and  as  the  lad  studied 
the  face  of  the  great 
sailor,  he  kept  asking 
himself  the  question: 

"  Can  he  help  us?" 

Columbus  seemed  to  feel  that  at  last  he  had  found 
aid.  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was  an  experienced 
navigator,  a  man  of  good  family  and  great  wealth, 
and  was  not  so  likely  to  be  prejudiced  by  false  logic 
and  theories  distorted  from  truth  as  were  the  learned 
men  of  the  realm. 

In  the  great  sea-captain,  the  future  discoverer 
found  an  interested  and  intelligent  listener,  and  they 
were  friends  from  their  first  meeting. 

"I  do  not  doubt  your  theory,  Senor  Columbus," 
the  sailor  answered,  when  Columbus  had  explained 
his  plans.  "I  have,  myself,  when  at  sea,  picked  up 
many  relics  drifting  in  from  that  unknown  sea.  In 


MARTIN  ALONZO  PINZON. 


86  COLUMBIA 

addition  to  bodies  of  a  strange  race  which  have  floated 
to  our  shores,  I  have  taken  up  wood  of  a  species  un 
known  to  us,  as  well  as  strange  and  wonderful  carv 
ings." 

Hernando,  who  had  been  listening  with  breath 
less  interest  and  utter  silence  up  to  his  point,  now 
allowed  his  anxiety  to  overcome  his  years,  and  asked 
boldly: 

"Would  you  undertake  such  a  voyage,  senor? " 

Almost  immediately  he  remembered  that  he  was  a 
boy  —  that  it  was  not  his  place  to  speak  —  and  he 
hung  his  head  in  confusion.  Pinzon  was  as  kind- 
hearted  as  he  was  intelligent  and  brave,  and  with  an 
encouraging  smile  he  answered : 

"  Yes,  I  am  so  favorably  impressed  with  the  plan 
that  I  am  willing  to  engage  in  it  with  my  purse  and 
person.  By  all  means,  renew  your  application  at 
court,  senor." 

"Alas!  I  have  no  money,"  was  the  answer. 

"I  will  bear  the  expenses  myself.  Give  up,  I 
pray  you,  all  idea  of  a  journey  to  France." 

"Wait,  and  by  all  means  make  one  more  effort," 
said  Friar  Juan  Perez,  who,  confirmed  in  his  faith 
by  the  concurrence  of  these  learned  and  practical 
councillors,  now  became  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic 
advocates  of  the  new  enterprise.  "I  was  once  con 
fessor  to  the  queen,  and  one  of  our  calling  always  has 
access  to  her.  If  you  will  remain,  I  will  write  to  her 
immediately  on  the  subject." 

Columbus  was  easily  persuaded,  for  he  felt  that 


FALL  OF  THE  CRESCENT 


87 


VINCENT  YANEZ  PINZON. 


in  leaving  Spain  he  was  abandoning  home;  and  he 
was  also  reluctant  to  renew  in  another  court  the 
vexations  and  disappointments  experienced  in  Spain 
and  Portugal. 

"  I  will  stay,"  he  said  at  last. 

"And  I  will  send  Sebastian 
Rodriguez  as  ambassador  to  the 
queen.  Her  majesty  is  in  the 
new  military  city  of  Santa  Fe, 
which  has  been  built  in  the 
Vega,  before  Granada." 

In  two  days  the  ambass 
ador  set  out  with  the  friar's 
letter,  and  in  due  time  returned 
with  an  answer  from  the  queen 
to  Juan  Perez,  requesting  him  to  repair  immediately 
to  the  court,  leaving  Christopher  Columbus  in  con 
fident  hope  until  he  should  further  hear  from  her. 
The  royal  letter  spread  joy  throughout  the  convent. 
No  sooner  did  the  enthusiastic  friar  receive  it, 
than  he  saddled  his  mule,  and,  though  it  was  nearly 
midnight,  set  out  through  the  country  of  the  con 
quered  Moors,  by  roads  which  were  by  no  means  safe, 
to  Granada. 

"Another  long  period  of  unrest  and  anxiety  is 
before  me,"  remarked  Columbus,  when  he  was  again 
alone  with  Hernando.  "But  there  is  much  ground 
for  hope.  The  sacred  office  of  Juan  Perez  will  gain 
him  a  ready  entrance  to  the  court,  and  when  once  I 
can  get  the  ear  of  the  queen  I  am  certain  of  success." 


88  COLUMBIA 

As  history  has  proven,  Columbus  was  correct  in 
all  his  surmises.  Juan  Perez  gained  admission  to  the 
queen  and  laid  the  explorer's  plans  before  her. 
Though  she  had  in  a  general  way  heard  something  of 
Columbus  as  a  wild,  visionary  enthusiast  or  adven 
turer,  his  claims  had  never  before  been  presented  to 
her  in  their  true  light.  Juan  Perez  found  an  able 
coadjutor  in  the  Marchioness  of  Moya,  who  entered 
into  the  affair  with  all  of  a  woman's  disinterested 
enthusiasm,  having  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Col 
umbus  on  a  former  occasion.  She  already  knew 
something  of  his  plans,  and  how  he  had  spent  his  life 
in  trying- to  give  to  Spain  a  greater  honor  than  any 
nation  had  ever  attained. 

Isabella  was  moved  by  his  unselfish  devotion. 
"This  man  Columbus  must  be  of  great  mind,  after 
all,"  she  said  enthusiastically,  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
joint  appeal  of  the  marchioness  and  the  friar.  "Send 
him  to  me;  and,  as  he  may  doubtless  have  suffered 
by  long  privations,  -I  will  order  that  twenty  thousand 
maravedis  in  florins  be  forwarded  to  him,  that  he  may 
be  fitted  suitably  for  our  presence  and  travel  hither 
marked  by  our  royal  favor." 

Again  there  was  joy  at  the  convent  and  the  town 
of  Palos,  when  Garcia  Fernandez  delivered  the  order, 
and  the  money  with  it,  to  Columbus. 

The  intervening  time  Hernando  had  spent  at  home 
with  his  grandmother  and  Christina,  returning  only 
the  day  before  Garcia  Fernandez  arrived  with  the 
message  and  money. 


90  COLUMBIA 

"May  I  accompany  you?"  he  asked. 

For  a  moment  Columbus  hesitated,  and  then 
said: 

"Yes,  our  destinies  are  linked  together,  and  you 
may  go." 

They  at  once  exchanged  their  threadbare  garments 
for  those  more  suited  to  a  court,  and  set  out  again 
for  the  camp  before  Granada. 

But  disappointments  were  not  yet  at  an  end. 
In  fact,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  his  life, 
Columbus  met  with  continuous  disappointments. 
It  was  a  most  inopportune  period  for  the  transaction 
of  any  business  with  the  court.  Yet  he  met  with  a 
favorable  reception,  and  was  given  in  hospitable 
charge  to  his  constant  friend,  Alonzo  de  Quint-ilia,  the 
accountant  general. 

"The  moment  is  too  eventful  for  your  business 
to  receive  immediate  attention,"  said  Quintilla. 
"You  must  wait." 

"I  have  long  since  learned  to  wait,"  the  great  man 
answered  calmly. 

"It  will  not  be  long,"  Quintilla  assured  him. 
"Boabdil  was  captured  while  on  a  plundering  expe 
dition  a  few  days  since,  and  now  the  Moorish  king 
is  about  to  sally  forth  from  the  Alhambra,  and 
surrender  the  keys  of  the  seat  of  Moorish  power. 
After  almost  eight  hundred  years,  the  Moors  will 
be  expelled  from  Spain.  Ah,  that  will  be  a  grand 
day ! " 

Great  crowds  of  people  were  already  assembled 


FALL  OF  THE  CRESCENT  91 

to  witness  the  gorgeous  scene.  Knights  with  glitter 
ing  lances,  gleaming  helmets,  swords,  and  bucklers  ap 
peared  everywhere.  The  hills  and  valleys  were  alive 
and  swarming  with  horsemen  and  foot-soldiers.  Ladies 
of  rank  and  the  wives  of  the  soldiers  mingled  with  the 
military.  The  blast  of  trumpets  and  soft  notes  of 
distant  bugle-horns  filled  the  air  with  melodious 
sounds. 

"Oh,  oh  !"  cried  Hernando.  "See  how  the  armor 
glitters.  See  how  the  banners  rise  and  fall !  " 

"Beware,  Hernando,  or  you  will  be  trampled  on," 
said  Columbus.  "These  trooper  are  careless." 

"Give  way  to  the  heralds  of  the  sovereigns!" 
shouted  a  trooper.  "Stand  back!  Away!  You 
block  the  path." 

The  horsemen  passed  on,  shouting  loudly  for  clear 
space.  A  long  retinue  of  nobles,  princes,  knights, 
and  ladies,  all  on  horseback,  leading  the  procession 
of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  came  riding  down  through 
the  throngs  of  people. 

Heading  the  procession,  mounted  on  a  prancing 
horse,  a  short  arquebus  in  his  hand,  was  a  tall,  finely 
formed  man,  with  flashing  eye  and  haughty  de 
meanor.  He  was  one  of  the  newly-made  knights, 
for  his  armor  was  snow-white,  and  he  was  attached 
to  the  staff  of  the  king. 

"Look,"  whispered  the  lad,  seizing  Columbus  by 
the  arm.  "He  is  my  uncle  Garcia,  who,  aided  by  the 
Moor,  procured  my  father's  banishment.  I  have 
told  you  of  him  " 


92 


COLUMBIA 


Columbus  watched  the  knight  with  intense  inter 
est.  Once  Sir  Garcia's  eye  fell  on  the  boy  whom  he 
had  so  greatly  wronged,  and,  recognizing  Hernando 
amid  the  throng,  he  started  slightly  and  averted  his 
face.  But  he  turned  his  head  as  he  rode  away,  and 


"  LOOK,"    WHISPERED    THE    LAD,    SEIZING    COLUMBUS    BY    THE    ARM, 

"  HE  is  MY  UNCLE  GARCIA." 

looked  long  and  searchingly  at  the  lad's  white-haired 
companion. 

All  eyes  were  turned  eagerly  upon  the  procession. 
The  kingly  courtiers,  lords,  ladies,  in  all  the  pomp  and 
grandeur  of  the  age,  passed  by;  then  came  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella,  most  exalted  of  all  this  sublime  proces 
sion. 

How  melancholy  the  state  of  Columbus  amid  these 
scenes  of  splendor!  We  can  do  no  better  than  give 


FALL  OF  THE  CRESCENT  93 

the  following  faithful  picture  of  him  as  drawn  at  the 
time  and  handed  down  by  Clemencin:  "A  man 
obscure  and  but  little  known  at  this  time  followed  the 
court.  Confounded  in  the  crowd  of  importunate  appli 
cants,  feeding  his  imagination  in  the  corners  of  ante 
chambers  with  the  pompous  project  of  discovering  a 
world,  melancholy  and  dejected  in  the  midst  of  gen 
eral  rejoicing,  he  beheld  with  indifference,  almost 
amounting  to  contempt,  the  conclusion  of  a  conquest 
which  swelled  the  bosoms  of  all  with  jubilee,  and 
seemed  to  have  reached  the  utmost  bounds  of  desire." 

The  sunlight  flashed  on  the  bewildering  scene  of 
burnished  arms,  glittering  helmets,  waving  plumes, 
and  streaming  banners.  This  was  the  most  brilliant 
triumph  in  Spanish  history.  After  eight  hundred 
years  the  crescent  had  fallen,  the  cross  was  reared  in 
its  place,  and  the  standard  of  Spain  floated  from  the 
highest  tower  of  the  Alhambra.  The  whole  court 
and  army  celebrated  the  glorious  victory.  The  air 
resounded  with  shouts  of  joy,  songs  of  triumph,  and 
hymns  of  thanksgiving.  The  king  and  queen  in 
great  magnificence,  seemed  in  every  eye  as  more  than 
mortal,  as  if  sent  by  Heaven  for  the  salvation  and 
upbuilding  of  Spain.  Hernando  stood  on  tiptoe, 
craned  his  neck,  and  mounted  blocks  of  wood  and 
stone,  in  order  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  sovereigns. 

The  court  was  thronged  by  the  most  illustrious  of 
that  war  like  country  and  stirring  era,  and  the  flower 
of  the  nobility  was  in  attendance.  The  dignity  of  its 
prelacy,  the  bards  and  minstrels,  and  all  the  retinue 


94  COLUMBIA 

of  a  romantic  and  picturesque  age,  made  it  a  scene 
that  has  never  been  excelled  in  history.  The  whole 
day  was  one  of  kaleidoscopic  splendor,  the  glittering 
of  arms,  sounds  of  music  and  rejoicing. 

The  joy  of  the  Spaniards  was  the  grief  of  the  Moors. 
After  almost  eight  hundred  years  they  must  give  up 
the  land  they  had  come  to  regard  their  own. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  Moorish  army, 
trailing  the  crescent,  issued  forth  to  render  submis 
sion.  The  stipulations  of  the  surrender  had  already 
been  agreed  upon,  and  nothing  but  the  formalities 
remained. 

The  Spaniards  filled  the  air  with  shouts  and  cries 
of  joy;  the  Moors  groaned  and  sobbed  with  bitterness. 
It  was  then  that  the  Moorish  bard  from  the  depths 
of  his  soul  sang  thus: 

"Beautiful  Granada,  how  is  thy  glory  faded! 
The  flower  of  thy  chivalry  lies  low  in  the  land  of  the 
stranger.  No  longer  does  the  Vivarrambla  echo  to 
the  tramp  of  steed  and  sound  of  trumpet;  no  longer 
is  it  crowded  with  thy  youthful  nobles,  gloriously 
arrayed  for  the  tilt  and  tourney.  Beautiful  Granada! 
The  soft  note  of  the  lute  no  longer  floats  through  the 
moonlit  streets.  The  serenade  is  no  more  heard 
beneath  thy  balconies.  The  lively  castanet  is  silent 
upon  thy  hills.  The  graceful  dance  of  the  zambra  is 
no  more  to  be  seen  beneath  thy  bowers.  Beautiful 
Granada!  Why  is  the  Alhambra  so  lorn  and  deso 
late?  The  orange  and  myrtle  still  breathe  their  per 
fumes  into  its  silken  chambers;  the  nightingale  still 


• 

A.V 


96  COLUMBIA 

sings  within  its  groves;  its  marble  halls  are  still 
refreshed  with  the  flash  of  fountains  and  gush  of 
limpid  rills.  Alas,  alas!  the  countenance  of  the  king 
no  longer  shines  within  those  walls.  The  light  of  the 
Alhambra  is  forever  set." 

So  deep  grief  and  so  great  lamentations  moved 
Hernando  to  compassion.  But  suddenly  his  eyes 
grew  bright,  glistening  with  hate,  and  starting  from 
the  side  of  Columbus,  he  ran  across  the  intervening 
space  between  the  people  and  ranks  of  the  Moors,  and 
approaching  a  tall,  dark-skinned  fellow  who  had  lost 
the  upper  half  of  his  left  ear,  he  cried : 

"Abdallah  Ahmed,  are  you  here?" 

"Christian  dog,  have  you  come  to  rejoice  over  the 
fallen?"  the  Moor  answered. 

"No." 

"Then  away!" 

"No,  no.     I  would  ask  you  questions." 

"How  know  you  that  the  Mussulman  will  give 
truthful  answers?" 

"You  must  swear  by  your  prophet  to  give  me 
a  truthful  answer.  Where  is  my  father?" 

"Think  you  that  I  know?" 

"None  better  than  you!" 

"I  know  nothing  to  tell." 

"Dog  of  a  Mohammedan,  you  deserve  to  have 
your  other  ear  cut  from  your  head." 

The  infuriated  Moor  raised  his  hand,  and  would 
have  struck  the  lad  had  not  a  fellow  Moor  seized  his 
arm. 


FALL  OF  THE  CRESCENT  97 

"Are  you  mad,  Abdallah?  Know  you  not  that 
we  dare  not  touch  the  child  of  a  Christian?" 

"I'll  bide  my  time;  but,  Hernando  Estevan,  my 
hate  goes  ever  with  you:  you  stole  from  me  the  fair 
child  Christina.  I  will  be  revenged;  and  when  we 
again  invade  Andalusia,  Christina  shall  depart  thence 
with  Abdallah." 

The  wrath  of  Hernando  had  now  almost  burst  all 
bounds.  At  the  thought  of  Christina's  name  being 
polluted  by  the  breath  of  the  villain,  he  sprang 
forward  with  clenched  fist  to  strike  his  enemy,  when 
suddenly  a  gayly  caparisoned  horseman  spurred  his 
steed  between  them. 

Turning  his  flashing  eyes  on  Hernando,  he  cried: 

"  Away,  youngster  —  away ! " 

"Uncle  Garcia,  there  stands  the  man  whose  lying 
tongue  ruined  my  father,"  cried  the  excited  youth. 

"I  know  you  not  —  away!" 

"You  are  my  uncle  Garcia  Estevan." 

"Lying  brat,  away." 

"In  the  name  of  my  wronged  father — "  the  lad 
began;  but  Garcia  Estevan  flew  into  a  rage,  and  with 
the  flat  side  of  his  sword,  he  struck  at  the  youth. 

But  the  blow  fell  harmlessly,  and  the  moving 
throng  carried  the  boy  far  out  of  reach  and  hid  him 
effectually  in  the  dense  crowd. 

"Shame!  Shame!"  cried  many  voices,  as  the 
knight  rode  angrily  away. 

Vol.  1—7 


CHAPTER  VI. 


AGAIN   DENIED. 

DURING  the  remainder  of  the  imposing  ceremony 
Garcia  was  ill  at  ease,  and  the  Moor  Abdallah  kept 
from  sight.     The  face  of  the  boy  haunted  the  wicked 
uncle,  and  when  he  reached  his  chamber  that  night 
he  determined  to  know  more 
of  the  lad  and  to  discover 
what    was    his    object    in 
Granada.     He  summoned 
his  esquire,  and  asked  him 
if    he   knew  the  boy  Her- 
nando  or  the  old  man  with 
him. 

"I  do  not,  Sir  Garcia," 
the  esquire  answered. 

"Can  you  learn  anything 
of  them,  Sancho?" 
"I  know  a  man  who  can  easily  do  so." 
"Find  him  and  send  him  to  me." 
Sancho  went  away,  and  an  hour  later  reappeared 
with  a  low-browed,  surly,  villainous-looking  fellow 
who  by  his  attire  and  manner  was  evidently  a  sailor. 
"What  is  your  name?"  asked  the  knight. 
"I  am  Miguel,  a  sailor  from  Palos." 
98 


MIGUEL  THE  MUTINEER. 


AGAIN  DENIED  99 

"I  desire  to  engage  your  services." 

"In  what,  sir  knight?" 

"There  is  an  old,  white-haired  man  here  with  a 
boy.  I  saw  them  today  following  the  parade." 

"And  they  are  in  your  way,  sir  knight?"  asked 
Miguel  with  perfect  coolness. 

The  knight  smiled  grimly  at  the  fellow's  readiness. 
"I  merely  want  to  know  who  he  is,  and  what  brings 
him  here,"  he  said. 

"The  lad?" 

"I  know  him.  He  is  the  son  of  my  brother,  who 
fled  Spain  a  few  years  ago  to  escape  the  wrath  of  an  in 
jured  king.  I  want  to  know  of  the  lad's  white-haired 
companion,  and  what  motive  finds  him  in  Granada." 

"I  will  learn,  sir  knight.  Unless  I  mistake,  they 
are  the  same  who  were  at  Palos  a  few  weeks  since.  I 
will  learn  all." 

Sir  Garcia  slept  but  little  that  night,  and  when  he 
did,  he  dreamed  of  the  pale-faced  lad,  whose  eyes 
were  so  strikingly  like  the  wronged  brother's. 

"What  cursed  fate  comes  now  to  snatch  from  me 
the  rewards  I  have  won  by  years  of  toil  and  danger  and 
scheming?"  he  asked  himself,  as  he  tossed  upon  his 
bed.  "Are  the  golden  spurs  to  be  stripped  from  me 
by  a  brat  and  an  infernal  old  camp-follower?" 

When  he  found  the  morning  sunlight  streaming 
into  his  chamber,  he  called  his  servant  and  asked  for 
the  sailor  Miguel. 

"Ho  is  in  waiting,  Sir  Garcia." 

The  Anight  rose,  dressed  and  breakfasted  hur- 


100  COLUMBIA 

riedly;  then  sent  for  the  spy.  Miguel  entered  with 
shifting  eyes,  as  if  conscious  of  ever-present  guilt. 

"Have  you  learned  anything?"  asked  Sir  Garcia. 

"I  have,  senor." 

"Well?" 

"The  lad's  companion  is  a  Genoese  navigator 
named  Christopher  Columbus." 

"Why  is  he  here?" 

"He  came  to  have  an  audience  with  the  queen 
and  her  councilors." 

"For  what  purpose?"  asked  Garcia,  trembling 
visibly. 

The  sailor,  who  was  slow  of  speech,  hesitated  a 
moment  and  answered:  ' 

"Christopher  Columbus  has  determined  to  go  to 
the  antipodes." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"I  know  not,  sir  knight,  but  it  is  some  place  in 
which  he  expects  to  discover  a  new  world." 

"Is  he  an  explorer?  " 

"Yes,  senor,  he  is." 

"I  have  heard  of  him.  Now,  tell  me  for  what 
purpose  he  has  asked  an  audience  with  the  queen." 

"To  fit  out  a  fleet  to  go  to  the  antipodes  and 
discover  this  new  world." 

Sir  Garcia  was  obviously  relieved.  Placing  some 
gold  in  the  fellow's  hand,  he  said: 

"That  will  do  for  the  present,  Miguel.  Go,  but 
be  near  at  hand  when  I  call  for  you." 

The  sailor  rose,  bowed  and  hurried  away,  elated 


AGAIN  DENIED  101 

at  his  good  fortune.  Left  alone,  the  cunning  Garcia 
began  to  consider  what  was  to  be  done. 

"Why  does  this  man  want  to  explore  the  unknown 
sea  on  which  my  brother  disappeared  years  ago?  "  he 
asked  himself;  "and  why  is  he  so  attached  to  my 
brother's  son ?  I  must  look  still  further  into  this." 

Calling  his  esquire  into  his  presence,  Sir  Garcia 
said: 

"The  man  Columbus  is  here  to  hold  an  audience 
with  the  queen  and  her  councilors,  and  Fernando 
de  Talavera  is  one  of  them.  I  would  see  him." 

"Yes,  my  lord."  And  with  a  bow  the  esquire 
quitted  the  room.  In  due  time,  Fernando  de  Tala 
vera  arrived,  and  Garcia  at  once  plunged  into  the 
subject. 

"Have  you  met  this  man  Columbus?" 

"I  have,  sir  knight." 

"Are  you  one  to  deliberate  with  him  on  this  wild 
scheme  of  exploring  the  antipodes?" 

"I  shall  probably  be  one  of  that  body." 

"Do  you  not  think  it  folly  for  the  government  to 
send  out  such  an  expedition?" 

"I  do." 

"Will  you  oppose  it?  " 

"I  have  always  opposed  it,  but  my  voice  does 
not  outweigh  the  other  advisers  of  the  queen.  She 
has  determined  to  give  him  an  audience,  and  I  greatly 
fear  she  will  consent  to  his  schemes." 

The  cunning  Garcia  had  seen  Columbus  but  once; 
but  that  one  view  of  the  noble,  resolute  face  had 


102 


COLUMBIA 


convinced  him  that  the  man  would  make  great  de 
mands  on  his  sovereigns.  Garcia's  plan  for  defeating 
the  purpose  of  Columbus  was  to  deal  so  niggardly 
with  him  that  he  would  refuse  to  accept  the  terms 


MOORISH  TOWER. 

offered.  When  the  plan  was  suggested  to  Fernando 
de  Talavera,  he,  being  personally  hostile  to  the  pro 
ject  of  Columbus,  at  once  fell  in  with  Sir  Garcia's  idea. 
The  moment  had  now  arrived  when  the  monarchs 
stood  pledged  to  give  Columbus  their  attention. 
The  war  with  the  Moors  was  over,  Spain  was  delivered 


AGAIN  DENIED  103 

from  the  intruders,  and  the  sovereigns  might  securely 
turn  their  thoughts  to  foreign  enterprises.  Isabella 
kept  her  word  with- Columbus,  and,  as  soon  as  matters 
could  be  arranged,  prepared  to  receive  him  at  her 
own  court. 

"May  I  accompany  you?"  Hernando  asked.  It 
was  the  morning  on  which  Columbus  was  preparing 
to  deliver  a  final  appeal,  a  plea  that  was  destined  to 
go  thundering  down  the  ages. 

With  a  kindly  smile,  the  great  navigator  answered : 

"We  have  stood  side  by  side;  I  cannot  refuse 
your  request  now." 

Columbus  appeared  in  the  royal  presence  of  the 
good  queen,  as  self-possessed  as  usual,  neither  daz 
zled  nor  daunted  by  the  splendor  of  the  court  or  the 
majesty  of  the  throne. 

Seated  on  the  throne,  surrounded  by  lords,  nobles, 
courtiers,  ladies  of  rank,  and  high  Church  dignitaries, 
was  one  of  the  purest  and  most  beautiful  characters  of 
history  —  Queen  Isabella. 

Contemporary  writers  have  been  most  enthusiastic 
in  their  descriptions  of  this  noble  queen.  Though 
strongly  attached  to  her  husband  and  studious  of 
his  fame,  yet  she  always  maintained  her  distinct 
rights  as  an  allied  princess.  She  exceeded  him  in 
personality,  in  personal  dignity,  in  acuteness  of 
genius,  and  in  grandeur  of  soul.  Combining  the 
active  and  resolute  qualities  of  man  with  the  softer 
charities  of  woman,  she  mingled  in  the  warlike 
councils  of  her  husband,  engaged  personally  in  his 


104  COLUMBIA 

enterprises,  and,  in  some  instances,  surpassed  him  in 
the  firmness  and  intrepidity  of  her  measures;  while, 
being  inspired  with  a  truer  idea  of  glory,  she  infused 
a  more  lofty  and  generous  temper  into  his  subtle  and 
calculating  policy. 

It  is  in  the  civil  history  of  their  reign,  however, 
that  the  character  of  Isabella  shines  most  illustrious. 
Her  fostering  and  maternal  care  was  continually 
directed  to  reform  the  laws  and  heal  the  ills  engend 
ered  by  a  long  course  of  internal  wars.  She  loved 
her  people,  and  while  diligently  seeking  their  good, 
she  mitigated,  as  much  as  possible,  the  harsh  measures 
of  her  husband,  directed  to  the  same  end  but  inflamed 
by  a  mistaken  zeal. 

She  was  always  an  advocate  for  clemency  to  the 
Moors,  although  she  was  the  soul  of  the  war  against 
Granada.  In  the  intervals  of  state  business,  she 
assembled  round  her  the  ablest  men  in  literature 
and  science,  and  was  directed  by  their  counsels 
in  promoting  letters  and  arts.  Through  her  patron 
age,  Salamanca  rose  to  that  height  which  it  assumed 
among  the  learned  institutions  of  the  age.  She 
promoted  the  distribution  of  honors  and  rewards  for 
the  promulgation  of  knowledge;  she  fostered  the  art 
of  printing,  but  recently  invented,  and  encouraged 
the  establishment  of  presses  in  every  part  of  the 
kingdom.  Books  were  admitted  free  of  duty,  and 
more,  we  are  told,  were  printed  in  Spain  at  that 
early  period  of  the  art  .than  in  the  present  literary 
age. 


AGAIN  DENIED  105 

It  is  wonderful  how  much  the  destinies  ot  coun 
tries  depend  at  times  upon  the  virtues  of  individuals, 
and  how  it  is  given  to  great  spirits,  by  combining, 
exciting,  and  directing  the  latent  powers  of  a  nation, 
to  stamp  it,  as  it  were,  with  their  own  greatness. 
Such  beings  realize  the  idea  of  guardian  angels 
appointed  by  Heaven  to  watch  over  the  destinies 
of  empires.  Such  was  now  for  Spain  the  illustrious 
Isabella. 

Hernando  gazed  on  her  in  wonder  and  admiration. 
Her  splendid  court  costume  and  glittering  crown  were 
overshadowed  by  the  majesty  and  beauty  of  her  face. 
She  was  well  formed,  of  medium  size,  of  great  dignity 
and  gracefulness  of  deportment,  and  a  mingled  gravity 
and  sweetness  of  manner.  Her  complexion  was  fair; 
her  hair  auburn,  inclining  to  red;  her  eyes  were  of 
a  clear  blue,  with  a  benign  expression  —  a  singular 
modesty  of  countenance,  gracing,  as  it  did,  a  wonder 
ful  firmness  of  purpose  and  earnestness  of  spirit. 

Approaching  quite  to  the  throne,  Columbus  knelt 
before  the  queen,  who  gave  him  her  hand  to  kiss. 
Then  he  rose  and  waited  her  royal  pleasure.  As  on 
the  occasion  of  his  visit  to  Salamanca,  the  great 
navigator  had  an  abundance  of  maps  and  charts, 
which  Hernando  carried  for  him. 

About  the  queen  Columbus  saw  several  friendly 
faces,  among  them  Friar  Juan  Perez  and  that  noble 
woman,  the  Marchioness  of  Moya. 

"Senor  Columbus,  proceed,"  said  the  queen,  whose 
voice  rang  with  all  the  music  of  silver  chimes. 


106  COLUMBIA 

Unfolding  a  chart  which  he  held  in  his  hand, 
Columbus  began: 

"Greatest  and  best  queen,  most  beloved  of  all 
sovereigns,  ruler  of  a  powerful  nation,  I  beseech  you 
to  pardon  my  persistent  requests  for  an  audience. 
Did  I  not  know  that  I  am  led  by  the  hand  of  Heaven, 
chosen  from  among  men  for  the  accomplishment  of 
its  high  purpose,  I  should  not  dare  come  before  you 
and  plead  the  cause  of  an  unknown  world.  But  I  have 
in  Holy  Writ  read  of  the  discoveries  I  contemplate 
making,  which  are  darkly  shadowed  forth  in  the  mys 
tic  revelations  of  the  prophets.  The  ends  of  the  earth 
I  would  see  brought  together,  and  all  nations,  tongues, 
and  languages  united  under  the  banner  of  the  Holy 
Church.  The  triumphant  consummation  of  my  enter 
prise,  great  queen,  is  to  bring  the  remote  and  unknown 
regions  of  the  earth  into  communion  with  Christian 
Europe;  carrying  the  light  of  the  true  faith  into  be 
nighted  and  pagan  lands,  and  gathering  their  countless 
nations  under  the  holy  dominion  of  the  Church." 

A  better  preface  to  his  argument  could  not  have 
been  chosen.  The  sympathies  of  the  queen  and  her 
ecclesiastics  could  not  have  been  more  quickly 
gained  than  by  this  avowed  intention.  The  closest 
attention  was  henceforth  given  him. 

Only  Fernando  de  Talavera  seemed  unmoved  by 
the  powerful  words;  and  as  Columbus  warmed  to 
his  mighty  project,  advancing  reason  after  reason, 
and  holding  throne  and  attendants  spellbound, 
Talavera  became  alarmed. 


AGAIN  DENIED  107 

Columbus  placed  his  argument  under  three  heads, 
and  considered  each  in  its  turn. 

First,  he  asserted  as  a  fundamental  principle  that 
the  earth  is  a  terraqueous  sphere,  which  may  be 
traveled  around  from  east  to  west,  and  that  when  on 
opposite  points  men  stand  foot  to  foot.  According 
to  Ptolemy,  he  divided  the  circumference  from  east 
to  west  at  the  equator  into  twenty-four  hours  of  fif 
teen  degrees  each,  making  in  all  three  hundred  and 
sixty  degrees.  Comparing  the  globe  ~of  Ptolemy 
with  the  earlier  map  of  Marinus  of  Tyre,  he  supposed 
that  fifteen  hours  had  been  known  to  the  ancients, 
extending  from  the  Canary  Islands  to  the  city  of 
Thinae  in  Asia,  a  place  set  down  as  at  the  eastern 
limits  of  the  known  world. 

"The  Portuguese,"  continued  Columbus,  "have 
advanced  the  western  frontier  one  hour  more  by  the 
discovery  of  the  Azores  and  Cape  de  Verde  Islands. 
There  then  remain  eight  hours,  or  one-third  the 
circumference  of  the  earth,  unknown  and  unexplored. 
This  space  may  in  a  great  measure  be  filled  up  by  the 
eastern  regions  of  Asia,  which  may  extend  so  far  as 
to  nearly  surround  the  globe,  and  even  to  approach 
the  western  shores  of  Europe  and  Africa.  The  tract 
of  ocean  between  these  countries  is  no  doubt  less 
than  has  been  supposed." 

Under  the  second  head  of  his  argument,  Colum 
bus  submitted  to  the  queen  authors  whose  writings 
had  weight  in  convincing  him  that  the  intervening 
ocean  could  be  but  of  moderate  expanse  and  easily 


108  COLUMBIA 

traversed.  Among  these  he  cited  the  opinion  of 
Aristotle,  Seneca,  and  Pliny  that  one  might  pass 
from  Cadiz  to  the  Indies  in  a  few  days.  From  the 
wonderful  narratives  of  Marco  Polo  and  John  Mande- 
ville,  with  which  he  was  thoroughly  acquainted,  he 
quoted  page  after  page.  He  read  the  letter  of  Fer 
nando  Martinez,  a  learned  canon  of  Lisbon,  who 
maintained  that  India  could  be  reached  by  a  western 
course,  asserting  that  the  distance  could  not  be  greater 
than  four  thousand  miles  in  a  direct  line  from  Lisbon 
to  the  province  of  Mangi,  near  Cathay. 

Lastly,  he  enumerated  the  various  indications  of 
land  in  the  west;  objects  which  had  floated  to  the 
known  world  —  the  dead  bodies  of  a  strange  race  of 
men,  branches  of  trees  bearing  an  unknown  fruit, 
and  pieces  of  wood  strangely  carved  and  evidently 
of  a  workmanship  unknown  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Europe.  Reeds  of  an  immense  size,  grown  no  doubt 
in  an  unknown  land,  had  floated  from  the  west  to  the 
island  of  Porto  Santo,  where  pieces  of  wood,  strangely 
carved  by  other  than  iron  instruments  had  also  been 
cast  up  on  the  shore. 

Having  concluded  his  eloquent  appeal,  he  stood 
with  his  head  bowed  awaiting  an  answer. 

At  last  the  queen  said,  "I  have  listened  with  care 
and  great  interest  to  all  you  have  said,  and  I  am 
strongly  impressed  with  the  force  and  logic  of  your 
conclusions.  I  shall  gladly  co-operate  with  you,  and 
tomorrow  those  in  whom  I  have  confidence  will  be 
appointed  to  meet  you  and  arrange  all  plans." 


AGAIN  DENIED  109 

Then  she  rose  and  extended  her  hand  to  Columbus. 
With  a  reverence  and  gratitude  well  becoming  his 
great  soul,  Columbus  made  his  obeisance;  and  with 
Hernando  by  his  side  was  permitted  to  precede  the 
court  from  the  audience-room. 

"It  is  settled  now  that  we  may  go,  is  it  not?" 
asked  the  lad  eagerly,  as  they  returned  to  their  apart 
ments. 

"We  have  a  hope." 

"A  hope!    Is  it  not  sure?  " 

"No;  we  may  not  be  able  to  make  terms.  If 
the  queen  should  choose  certain  parties  to  negotiate 
with  me,  it  might  even  yet  fail.  I  will  make  this 
voyage  on  my  own  terms  —  or  never  make  it." 

When  Columbus  met  the  queen's  representa 
tives,  his  fears  were  realized.  Foremost  among  them 
appeared  Fernando  de  Talavera,  and  behind  him 
the  cruel,  sinister  face  of  Sir  Garcia  Estevan, 
both  of  them  pledged  to  balk  the  enterprise.  Tal 
avera  had  risen  by  the  recent  conquests  to  be 
Archbishop  of  Granada.  How  Sir  Garcia  had  ever 
contrived  to  become  one  of  the  queen's  agents, 
Columbus  was  never  able  to  learn. 

Talavera  was  the  first  to  speak: 

"Our  royal  princess  and  queen  of  Castile,  Isa 
bella,  has  sent  us  to  consult  with  you.  She  is  favor 
ably  impressed  with  your  proposed  voyage,  and 
wishes  to  know  on  what  terms  you  will  under 
take  it." 

This  was  what  Columbus  desired.     So  fully  im- 


HO  COLUMBIA 

bued  was  he  with  the  grandeur  of  his  enterprise  that 
he  would  listen  to  nothing  but  princely  conditions. 
He  answered: 

"My  principal  stipulations  are  that  I  shall  be  in 
vested  with  the  titles  and  privileges  of  admiral  and 
viceroy  over  the  countries  I  may  discover,  with  one- 
tenth  of  all  the  gains,  either  by  trade  or  conquest." 

"You  demand  too  much,"  cried  Talavera,  who 
was  nettled  to  see  one  whom  he  had  considered  a 
needy  adventurer  aspiring  to  a  rank  and  dignity 
superior  to  his  own. 

"It  is  certainly  a  shrewd  request,  Senor  Colum 
bus,"  put  in  the  sneering  Sir  Garcia.  "You  propose 
to  secure,  at  all  events,  the  honor  of  a  command,  and 
have  nothing  to  lose  in  case  of  a  failure." 

To  this  charge  Columbus  replied : 

"I  will  furnish  one-eighth  of  the  cost,  on  condition 
of  enjoying  one-eighth  of  the  profits." 

"  Where  will  you  get  the  means?  "  asked  Sir  Garcia, 
with  another  sneer. 

"Friends  in  Palos  will  furnish  money  for  the 
enterprise." 

"Your  demands  are  unreasonable,"  said  Fernando 
de  Talavera. 

"Your  terms  are  quite  beyond  consideration," 
added  Sir  Garcia,  who  was  glad  of  any  opportunity 
to  thwart  the  man  who  had  befriended  his  broth 
er's  child. 

One  of  the  others,  more  favorable  to  Columbus, 
asked: 


AGAIN  DENIED  m 

"Would  you  not  be  satisfied  with  terms  a  little 
less  favorable  to  yourself?" 

"No;  nothing  less  than  I  have  stated,"  was  the 
answer. 

"It  seems  that  this  lofty  solicitor  will  not  be 
suited  with  less  than  dignities  that  approach  the 
grandeur  of  the  throne,"  put  in  the  sneering  Sir 
Garcia. 

"My  uncle  hates  us,  and  he  will  defeat  us  yet," 
Hernando  whispered  to  Columbus. 

The  wise  man  thought  he  understood  the  cause 
of  Sir  Garcia's  animosity.  He  gave  the  lad  a  hopeful 
smile,  but  would  not  yield  a  point  to  the  queen's  am 
bassadors.  At  last  they  left  him  to  make  report  to 
her  majesty. 

"We  are  as  far  away  as  ever,"  cried  Hernando, 
when  he  and  Columbus  were  alone. 

Columbus  was  silent. 

"It's  all  on  account  of  my  uncle.  I  only  impede 
you,  seiior." 

"Nay,  lad,  do  not  blame  yourself.  Your  uncle 
may  hate  me  on  your  account,  but  it  is  not 
your  fault.  Heaven  always  rewards  the  just  in  the 
end." 

"Yes,  sefior,  but  sometimes  it  is  a  long  distance 
to  the  end." 

Isabella  was  always  attentive  to  the  opinions  of 
her  ecclesiastical  advisers,  and  the  archbishop,  being 
her  confessor,  had  peculiar  influence  over  her.  As 
we  have  seen,  he  had  been  unduly  prejudiced  by  Sir 


112  COLUMBIA 

Garcia,  and  in  acquainting  her  with  the  demands  of 
Columbus,  he  concluded  with  the  following  words: 

"Your  gracious  highness  will  see  that  this  un 
known  man  is  making  princely  demands  —  demands 
which  the  dignity  of  the  throne  of  Castile  cannot 
consider.  With  a  treasury  depleted  by  long  wars 
with  the  Moors,  I  can  not  advise  your  highness  to 
accept  such  exorbitant  terms." 

The  queen  bowed  her  head  in  thought,  and  then  said : 

"The  proposed  advantages  might  be  bought  at 
too  great  a  price.  Offer  more  moderate  conditions, 
but  such  as  are  highly  honorable  and  advantageous." 

The  archbishop  and  his  followers  bowed,  and 
quitted  her  royal  presence. 

Columbus  was  found  awaiting  the  report  from  her 
majesty.  He  was  cool,  determined,  and  unmoved. 

"You  have  her  majesty's  answer?"  he  asked, 
as  the  archbishop  and  Sir  Garcia  entered  his  chamber. 

"She  sends  us  to  say  that  your  demands  are  too 
great,  but  that  we  are  authorized  to  make  more  mod 
erate  terms,  yet  such  as  are  stricly  honorable  — 

"Say  no  more,"  interrupted  Columbus,  impa 
tiently.  "I  have  made  my  demands,  and  I  will  listen 
to  nothing  else." 

"You  are  determined  to  abide  by  your  decision?  " 

"Tell  the  gracious  queen  that,  notwithstanding 
my  love  and  loyalty  toward  her  majesty,  I  will  not 
in  this  matter  cede  one  point  of  my  demand." 

"Is  that  your  final  answer?  " 

"It  is." 


AGAIN  DENIED  113 

"Shall  we  bear  it  to  her  majesty?  " 

"You  may." 

As  they  departed  there  was  a  look  of  mounting 
triumph  on  the  villainous  face  of  Sir  Garcia  Estevan. 
The  more  he  saw  of  the  attachment  of  Columbus  for 
his  nephew,  the  more  he  feared  him  and  determined 
to  defeat  him. 

"The  lad  will  share  his  honors,  no  doubt,"  thought 
Sir  Garcia,  "and,  if  they  should  succeed  in  the  great 
discovery  which  he  proposes,  he  might  even  super 
sede  me  in  my  title  and  estates.  I  must  see  that  he 
does  not  suceed." 

The  matter  was  reported  as  unfavorably  as  possi 
ble  to  the  queen.  She,  still  reluctant  to  see  the  enter 
prise  fail,  was  about  to  ask  one  more  interview,  when 
Fernando  de  Talavera  said: 

"It  is  useless,  your  majesty.  This  common  sailor 
will  not  listen  to  reason.  He  is  a  dreamer,  a  specu 
lator,  and  an  adventurer,  determined  at  all  hazards 
to  elevate  himself  to  the  nobility  with  succession 
forever." 

"What  is  your  advice,  then,  in  the  matter?" 
asked  the  queen. 

"To  break  off  all  negotiations  at  once,"  inter 
posed  Sir  Garcia,  eagerly. 

"I  advise  the  same,  your  majesty,"  answered  the 
archbishop.  "I  regard  his  plans  as  delusions,  and 
himself  as  one  gone  mad  over  long  speculation  on 
vague  and  impossible  theories." 

But  the  queen  still  delayed  giving  up  the  plan. 

Vol.  1—8 


114  COLUMBIA 

That  patient,  earnest  face,  those  speaking  eyes,  and 
the  deep  intonations  of  the  ringing  voice,  which  had 
carried  conviction  to  her  heart,  haunted  her  and 
caused  her  to  stand  forth  at  last,  his  steadfast  friend 
and  patron.  But  her  advisers  overruled  her  for  the 
time  being,  and  she  said: 

"You  may  inform  him  that  negotiations  are  at 
an  end." 

Columbus  had  been  expecting  such  a  report,  and 
when  it  came  he  received  the  blow  with  humility 
and  courage. 

Hernando,  in  fact,  showed  the  greater  evidence  of 
disappointment.  He  believed  that  he  was,  in  a 
measure,  the  cause  of  the  failure. 

"Will  you  abandon  the  plan  now?  "  he  asked. 

"My  life  is  consecrated  to  this  enterprise,"  Colum 
bus  answered.  "  I  will  accept  no  paltry  offer  for  my 
compensation." 

Then  in  a  tone  that  denoted  still  greater  deter 
mination,  he  continued: 

"It  is  my  one  opportunity  to  raise  the  necessary 
funds  to  rescue  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  If  I  fail  in  this,  it 
means  failure  in  a  still  greater  enterprise."  And  as  if 
to  justify  his  persistence  in  holding  out  for  his  terms, 
he  concluded,  "Perhaps  Bartholomew  will  have  bet 
ter  success  in  England." 

Nothing  could  shake  his  determination  or  make 
him  descend  to  terms  beneath  the  dignity  of  his  cause. 
For  this  "great  constancy  and  loftiness  of  soul,"  Las 
Casas  highly  commends  his  friend  Columbus. 


AGAIN  DENIED  115 

The  truth  is,  Columbus  entertained  a  greater  am 
bition  than  the  discovery  of  a  new  world,  one 
which  would  require  vast  resources,  and  it  was  to 
this  enterprise  that  his  income  from  Cipango,  with 
its  gold-roofed  temples,  was  to  be  consecrated. 

The  commerce  of  his  native  Genoa  had  been  de 
stroyed  by  the  Turks  and  in  his  youth  he  had  more 
than  once  crossed  swords  with  them  in  the  conflict. 
Now  he  came  to  look  upon  himself  as  a  second  God 
frey  de  Bouillon,  called  of  Heaven  to  deliver  Jeru 
salem  from  the  grasp  of  Mohammed. 

Fiske  says,  "Long  brooding  over  his  cherished 
projects,  in  which  mere  chimeras  were  interwoven 
with  anticipations  of  scientific  truths,  had  imparted 
to  his  character  a  tinge  of  religious  fanaticism.  He 
had  come  to  regard  himself  as  a  man  with  a  mission 
to  fulfill,  as  God's  chosen  instrument  for  enlarging 
the  bounds  of  Christendom  and  achieving  triumphs 
of  untold  magnitude  for  its  banners." 

In  this  mood  he  conducted  his  negotiations,  with 
no  thought  of  his  present  obscurity  and  indigence. 
His  ardent  imagination  enabled  him  to  realize  the 
magnitude  of  his  enterprise,  and  he  felt  that  in  his 
hand  he  held  the  destiny  of  future  empires. 

Though  so  large  a  portion  of  his  life  had  been  worn 
away  in  fruitless  importunings,  though  there  was  no 
certainty  that  the  same  weary  career  was  not  to  be 
entered  upon  at  any  other  court,  yet  so  indignant 
was  he  at  the  repeated  disappointments  he  had  ex 
perienced  in  Spain  that  he  determined  to  abandon 


116  COLUMBIA 

the  country  forever,  rather  than  compromise  his  de 
mands.  Hope  long  deferred  had  depressed  his  spirits 
sadly,  and  he  felt  it  would  be  a  relief  to  be  beyond  the 
borders  of  Spain. 

When  he  informed  the  lad  that  he  had  determined 
to  leave  him  at  the  cottage  near  Palos,  and  seek  in 
a  foreign  land  the  aid  which  had  just  been  denied, 
Hernando  was  greatly  distressed. 

"I  have  encumbered  you,  I  know,"  he  said,  "and 
but  for  me,  you  might  have  succeeded." 

'/You  are  unjust  to  blame  yourself,"  answered 
Columbus.  "I  have  no  regrets  that  I  have  befriended 
you.  Oftentimes  in  distress  you  have  given  me 
courage.  Have  no  fears  of  the  final  result,  for  each 
disappointment  and  failure  only  increases  my  deter 
mination;  and  I  shall  yet  succeed." 

The  friends  of  Columbus  gathered  about  him,  and 
tried  to  dissuade  him  from  departure.  Among  them 
were  Luis  de  St.  Angel  and  Alonzo  de  Quintilla. 

"Surely  after  so  nearly  succeeding,  you  will  not 
now  abandon  the  cause?"  said  the  accountant- 
general. 

"Abandon  the  cause  —  no,  I  shall  never  abandon 
the  cause,"  Columbus  answered,  in  his  lofty  manner. 
"But  I  am  about  to  abandon  Spain.  I  would  have 
given  to  my  adopted  country  the  glory  and  honor 
of  discovering  a  new  world;  but  they  have  declined 
the  proffer,  and  I  must  now  seek  in  a  foreign  land 
what  is  denied  me  at  home." 

The  mules  were  saddled,  and,  sad  and  dejected, 


AGAIN  DENIED  117 

but  by  no  means  despairing,  Columbus  and  the  lad 
mounted  and  rode  away.  The  two  friends  stood  and 
watched  them  wend  their  way  down  the  long  road 
and  disappear  around  a  spur  of  the  mountain. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS. 

"Do  NOT  despair,  Senor  Columbus,"  said  Her- 
nando,  as  they  journeyed  along  on  their  mules. 
.     "I  cannot  despair,"  was  the  answer. 

"Have  you  never  doubted,  after  so  many  failures, 
that  you  were  really  called  of  Heaven  to  perform 
this  great  task?" 

To  this  Columbus  slowly  and  solemnly  made 
answer: 

"The  ways  of  God  are  mysterious  to  us.  He 
chasteneth  those  whom  he  loveth.  We  are  not 
permitted  to  lift  the  veil  and  gaze  into  the  future, 
and  perhaps  it  is  best  that  we  are  not.  I  have  no 
doubt  of  Heaven's  having  called  me  to  this  task, 
else  why  should  I  struggle  on  from  year  to  year? 
It  is  useless  to  think  of  abandoning  the  work.  I 
could  not  give  it  up,  try  as  I  might.  I  am  powerless 
to  resist  the  promptings  of  Heaven,  and  each  failure 
only  makes  me  the  more  determined  to  succeed.  Had 
I  not  been  called  of  God,  I  should  have  long  since 
despaired,  and  left  my  work  to  another  and  wiser 
age." 

"  If  God  has  really  called  you,  why  does  He  place 
so  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  success?  " 
118 


AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS  H9 

"The  ways  of  Providence  are  inscrutable  and 
beyond  our  understanding.  We  know  not  why  the 
wicked  seem  to  prosper  while  the  good  are  oppressed 
with  calamity  and  affliction;  yet  the  eye  of  faith  can 
pierce  through  it  all,  and  see  even  the  golden  prize 
beyond  a  world  of  sorrow  and  darkness.  I  know 
God  has  called  me,  and  this  introductory  school  of 
disappointments  may  be  necessary  to  fit  me  for  the 
great  work  which  is  laid  out  before  me." 

They  journeyed  on,  and  the  boy,  with  his  troubled 
eyes  bent  on  the  ground,  was  buried  in  painful 
thought.  His  wild  fancy  went  out  across  land  and 
sea,  until  from  that  far-off  unknown  region  he  again 
heard  the  groans  of  the  captive  long  bound  in  chains, 
and  waiting  —  waiting  for  freedom. 

"Oh,  come,  come,  come!"  every  hoof-beat  seemed 
to  say.  Every  zephyr  that  stirred  the  leaves  of  the 
Andalusian  forest  seemed  whispering,  "  Come."  From 
the  mountain-top,rfrom  the  valley,  the  winding  steep, 
or  the  deep  gorge  at  their  side,  there  came  to  his  ear 
the  ever  pathetic  wail,  "Come!"  His  lively  imagina 
tion,  stirred  by  long  dwelling  on  the  painful  subject, 
seemed  ever  to  go  out  and  converse  with  his  captive 
father. 

Columbus,  lost  in  thought,  forgot  the  boy,  until 
Hernando  said: 

"Grant  me  one  request,  sefior?  " 

"What  is  it,  my  lad?" 

"When  you  do  go,  that  I  may  go  with  you." 

"That  I  have  promised." 


120  COLUMBIA 

"From  whatever  port  your  fleet  of  discovery  may 
sail,  I  may  go,  too?  " 

"You  shall  go." 

A  sigh  escaped  Hernando's  lips,  as  if  he  had  not 
full  faith  in  the  promise  of  Columbus.  During  the 
many  months  he  had  journeyed  with  the  great  man 
from  town  to  town,  he  had  never  known  him  to  fail  in 
good  faith;  but  there  were  so  many  plans  and  sorrows 
in  that  troubled  mind  that  he  doubted  if  he  would  be 
remembered.  Then  there  was  danger  of  years  being 
spent  in  fruitiest1  application.  The  white  head  was 
bent  lower,  and  the  frame  seemed  to  have  grown 
older,  since  his  trust  in  the  queen  had  been  shattered. 

"Heaven  grant  that  help  may  come,"  silently 
prayed  the  lad,  as  they  rode  on  together. 

Columbus  was  asking  himself  how  much  longer 
he  could  endure  such  disappointments.  From  the 
utmost  depths  of  his  being  he  felt  the  promptings  of 
a  mighty  ambition  inspired  by  the  noblest  motives 
—  a  great  soul  rising  up  within  itself  and  demanding 
recognition  of  the  world.  Had  he  all  along  been 
wrong,  and  was  he  to  die  unhonored  and  unknown? 
Were  those  great  impulses  within  his  breast  to  perish 
before  they  could  be  given  forth  to  the  world?  And, 
after  all,  was  he  to  have  inscribed  on  his  tomb  the 
word  "Failure"? 

"It  is  darkest  just  before  dawn,"  says  a  wise  old 
saw,  and  not  infrequently  this  proves  true.  Never 
had  Columbus  more  cause  to  yield  to  despair  than 
the  day  he  rode  forth  from  Santa  Fe",  believing  he 


AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS  121 

had  turned  his  back  forever  on  Spain.  Man  pro 
poses  and  God  disposes,  and  Columbus  little  dreamed 
what  course  events  would  take  before  he  had  finished 
his  career. 

His  enemies,  meantime,  had  watched  his  depar 
ture  with  great  satisfaction;  and  Garcia  Estevan  and 
Fernando  de  Talavera,  feeling  confident  they  had 
driven  the  troublesome  applicant  away  forever, 
quitted  the  side  of  the  queen  to  engage  in  other 
matters,  leaving  Isabella  free  to  be  approached  by 
the  friends  of  Columbus. 

A  man  who  has  been  almost  lost  to  history  stood 
watching  Columbus  as  he  rode  away  from  Santa 
F6  on  that  February  day  in  the  year  of  1492. 
His  name  was  Luis  de  St.  Angel,  receiver  of  the  eccle 
siastical  revenues  in  Aragon.  When  the  form  of 
Columbus  disappeared  in  the  distance,  he  turned  to 
Alonzo  de  Quintilla,  and  said: 

"For  shame!  that  Spain  should  lose  so  glorious 
a  prize." 

"You  speak  truly;  but  what  is  to  be  done?" 

"We  must  seek  the  queen,  Quintilla.  Now  that 
Sir  Garcia  and  the  archbishop  have  left  her,  we  must 
plead  with  her  to  accede  to  his  terms.  He  demands 
nothing  if  he  fails,  and  no  more  than  is  just  if  he 
succeeds." 

Then  and  there  was  formed  in  the  mind  of  this 
noble  friend  of  Columbus  the  decision  to  intercede 
for  him;  and  the  eloquent  plea  which  Luis  de  St. 
Angel  made  for  the  cause  of  Columbus  proved  to  be 


122  COLUMBIA 

the  turning-point  which  gave  to  Spain  the  glory 
of  discovering  the  New  World,  and  to  Isabella  the 
honor  forever  of  being  the  patroness  of .  its  dis 
coverer.  Columbus  had  failed  utterly,  and,  sad  of 
heart,  was  leaving  Spain  forever,  but  this  man, 
whose  name  has  seldom  been  mentioned  in  connec 
tion  with  the  great  event,  succeeded  after  Columbus 
had  failed. 

"You  are  right,"  answered  the  great-hearted 
Quintilla.  "His  demands  are  only  just." 

"Let  us  hasten  to  the  queen." 

The  friends  of  Columbus  hurried  to  the  palace 
and  begged  for  an  immediate  audience.  Fortunately, 
they  found  the  Marchioness  of  Moya  and  several  other 
friends  at  the  court.  Luis  de  St.  Angel  was  spokes 
man,  and  the  exigency  of  the  moment  gave  him 
courage  and  eloquence. 

Isabella  was  a  little  surprised  at  her  officers 
almost  thrusting  themselves  into  her  presence;  but 
she  was  slow  to  anger,  and  listened  patiently  to  the 
impassioned  entreaty  of  St.  Angel,  in  which  was  even 
mingled  reproaches: 

"Your  majesty's  subjects  are  both  grieved  and 
astonished  that  the  good  queen,  who  has  evinced 
the  spirit  to  undertake  so  many  perilous  enterprises, 
should  hesitate  at  one  where  the  loss  will  be  so  tri 
fling  while  the  gain  may  be  incalculable.  If  Colum 
bus  succeeds,  he  will  win  the  honors  he  asks.  Many 
a  common  soldier  has  been  knighted  for  valor  on 
the  field  of  battle,  and  spurs  thus  won  are  of  higher 


AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS  123 

consideration  than  any  hereditary  title  or  honor.  If 
the  navigator  succeeds,  and  your  majesty  has  great 
faith  that  he  will,  then  is  he  not  worthy  of  his 
demands?  Again,  noble  queen,  I  would  remind  you 
how  much  might  be  done  for  the  glory  of  God,  the 
exaltation  of  the  Church,  and  the  extension  of  your 
own  dominion.  Think  what  cause  of  regret  to  your 
self,  of  triumph  to  your  enemies,  and  of  sorrow  to 
your  friends,  should  the  enterprise  you  have  rejected 
be  accomplished  by  some  other  power;  and  it  will 
be,  if  you  refuse  the  offer  made  by  Columbus.  Re 
member,  great  and  noble  queen,  what  fame  other 
princes  have  acquired  by  their  discoveries,  and  here 
is  an  opportunity  which  surpasses  them  all.  I 
entreat  your  majesty  not  to  be  misled  by  the  asser 
tion  of  learned  men  that  the  project  is  the  dream 
of  a  visionary.  The  judgment  of  Columbus  is  sound 
and  his  plans  practical.  Even  his  failure  would  not 
reflect  disgrace  upon  the  crown.  It  is  worth  the 
trouble  and  expense  to  clear  up  even  a  matter  of 
doubt  upon  a  subject  of  such  great  importance, 
for  it  belongs  to  enlightened  and  magnanimous 
princes  to  investigate  questions  of  the  kind,  and  to 
explore  the  wonders  and  secrets  of  the  universe. 
Columbus  has  liberally  offered  to  bear  one-eighth  of 
the  expense,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  all  the  requi 
sites  for  this  great  enterprise  will  consist  of  but 
two  vessels  and  about  three  thousand  crowns.  I 
beseech  your  majesty,  do  not  let  escape  this  golden 
opportunity  of  placing  new  laurels  on  your  brow. 


124  COLUMBIA 

While  there  is  yet  time,  send  a  messenger  after  this 
man  Columbus,  and  bring  him  back." 

The  argument  was  made  with  that  persuasive 
power  which  honest  zeal  imparts,  and  the  Queen  of 
Castile  was  greatly  moved  by  the  force  of  it. 

The  Marchioness  of  Moya  also  exerted  her  elo 
quence  to  persuade  the  queen,  in  language  and  man 
ner  so  earnest  that  Isabella  could  no  longer  resist. 
Her  generous  spirit  was  enkindled.  It  seemed  as 
if  for  the  first  time,  the  enterprise  opened  to  her 
mind  in  all  its  real  grandeur,  and  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  marchioness's  appeal  she  declared : 

"I  am  resolved;   I  will  undertake  it." 

She  glanced  at  Ferdinand,  as  if  seeking  his  ap 
proval,  but  the  king  only  shook  his  head. 

"What  says  my  liege,  will  he  not  join  me  in  this 
great  cause?  "  asked  the  beautiful  queen. 

"I  cannot,"  was  the  answer. 

"Why  say  you  so?  " 

Ferdinand  had  all  along  looked  coldly  on  this 
scheme,  and  in  the  height  of  the  discussion  had 
remained  silent.  It  was  only  when  directly  addressed 
that  he  spoke  at  all. 

"Our  royal  finances  have  been  absolutely  drained 
by  the  war,  and  some  time  must  be  given  to  replen 
ishing  them." 

"Were  the  treasury  full,  would  you  consent?  " 

"But  the  treasury  is  empty!"  the  king  an 
swered. 

The  queen  had  declared  that  her  resolution  was 


AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  FINOS  125 

formed  and  she  would  undertake  the  enterprise,  but 
how  could  she  draw  from  a  thoroughly  exhausted 
treasury  for  a  measure  to  which  the  king  was  averse? 

There  was  a  moment  of  hesitation,  and  all  watched 
this  suspense  with  trembling  anxiety.  Then,  with 
enthusiasm  most  worthy  of  herself  and  the  cause, 
Isabella  exclaimed: 

"I  undertake  the  enterprise  for  my  own  crown  of 
Castile,  and  will  pledge  my  jewels  to  raise  the  means." 

St.  Angel,  eager  to  secure  this  noble  impulse, 
cried : 

"I  assure  your  majesty  it  is  not  necessary  to 
pledge  your  jewels,  as  I  am  ready  to  advance  the 
funds." 

"Can  you?"  cried  the  queen. 

"I  can,  and  with  your  leave  I  will.  All  we  ask 
is  your  sanction." 

"I  give  it." 

"Then  we  will  send  for  Columbus,  and  enter  at 
once  into  the  contract." 

"Where  is  he?  " 

"He  left  the  city  for  the  port  of  Palos,  doubtless 
to  take  his  departure  from  Spain  forever." 

"Let  a  courier  be  despatched  at  once.  Instruct 
him  to  make  no  halt  until  he  has  overtaken  the  navi 
gator.  Send  for  a  courier  at  once." 

The  king  did  not  try  to  dissuade  the  queen. 
Seeing  she  was  determined  in  the  matter,  he  quitted 
the  council  chamber. 

We  may  as  well  state  in  this  connection  that  St. 


126  COLUMBIA 

Angel  really  secured  the  funds  for  this  expedition 
from  the  coffers  of  Aragon;  seventeen  thousand 
florins  being  advanced  by  the  accountant  out  of 
the  treasury  of  King  Ferdinand.  That  prudent 
monarch,  however,  took  care  to  have  his  kingdom 
indemnified  some  few  years  later;  for  in  remunera 
tion  of  this  loan,  a  part  of  the  first  gold  brought  from 
the  New  World  was  employed  in  gilding  the  vaults 
and  ceiling  of  the  royal  salon  in  the  grand  palace 
of  Saragoza,  in  Aragon,  anciently  the  Aljaferia,  or 
abode  of  the  Moorish  kings. 

In  [certain  quarters  it  is  quite  commonly  main 
tained  that  Columbus  encountered  from  the  Church 
nothing  but  opposition;  but  even  a  free  thinker,  with 
proper  regard  for  facts,  cannot  fail  to  perceive  that 
the  men  who  were  instrumental  in  bringing  about  a 
favorable  turn  in  the  affairs  of  Columbus  —  after  he 
himself  had  utterly  failed  —  were  all  of  the  clergy. 
When  we  consider  that  Columbus  was  inspired  by  his 
ambition  to  enlarge  the  dominions  of  the  Church  and 
deliver  Jerusalem  from  the  infidel,  and  that  his  pa 
troness,  Queen  Isabella,  was  influenced  through  her 
religious  faith  to  aid  him,  we  cannot  fail  to  give  to  the 
influence  of  the  Church  a  large  share  of  the  credit  for 
the  discovery  of  America. 

While  the  page  was  seeking  a  courier,  the  queen 
was  all  impatience,  lest  Columbus  should  be  gone  so 
far  that  she  could  not  bring  him  back. 

"We  must  not  lose  this  opportunity,"  she  cried, 
in  her  great  anxiety.  "I  never  realized  the  splendor 


AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS  127 

of  the  undertaking  before.  Had  I  done  so,  it  would 
have  received  much  more  careful  consideration." 

"Your  majesty  must  not  blame  yourself,"  said 
St.  Angel.  "It  will  not  be  too  late." 

"Why  does  the  courier  not  come?  A  moment 
seems  an  hour  lost.  Every  second  of  precious  time 
Columbus  is  getting  farther  and  farther  away,  and 
may  be  beyond  recall  ere  our  courier  can  overtake 
him." 

At  this  moment  a  courier  entered  breathless, 
for  he  knew  that  some  matter  of  great  moment  was 
about  to  be  intrusted  to  him. 

"Mount  the  swiftest  horse  in  the  stables,  and  ride 
for  life,  until  you  overtake  Christopher  Columbus,  now 
on  his  way  to  Palos,"  commanded  the  queen  rapidly. 
"Tell  him  the  queen  accedes  to  his  proposal,  and  asks 
his  immediate  return." 

"Who  is  this  Columbus?"  asked  the  courier,  for 
at  this  time  Columbus  was  not  generally  known 
among  the  court  attaches.  "  May  I  beg  your  majesty 
to  describe  him?" 

"With  your  majesty's  permission,  I  will,"  said 
St.  Angel. 

"Proceed,"  the  queen  answered. 

Then  St.  Angel  spoke  tersely:   • 

"He  is  tall  and  erect,  with  hair  and  beard  of  snowy 
whiteness,  though  but  fifty-six  years  old.  His  face 
is  heavily  furrowed  with  sorrow,  disappointment,  and 
care,  rather  than  with  age.  He  rides  a  mule,  is 
accompanied  by  a  boy  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of 


128  COLUMBIA 

age,  similarly  mounted,  and  is  now  on  his  way  across 
the  Vega  to  the  bridge  of  Pinos." 

"Go!  hasten!"  cried  the  queen.  "The  future 
glory  and  renown  of  Spain  depend  on  your  speed." 

"Your  majesty,  I  go." 

The  courier  bowed,  and  quickly  retired.  A 
powerful  black  Arabian  horse,  noted  for  speed  and 
endurance,  was  saddled,  and  leaping  on  his  back  the 
courier  sped  away  like  the  wind  in  pursuit  of  the 
man  who  but  a  few  hours  before  had  been  re 
jected. 

The  day  was  mild  despite  the  month  of  February. 
In  this  delightful  semi-tropical  clime  the  rigors  of 
winter  are  scarcely  ever  known.  The  morning  was 
almost  as  mild  as  a  May  day  in  New  England,  and 
tropical  plants  were  blooming  along  the  roadside. 
Feathered  warblers  were  caroling  their  sweetest 
songs,  and  all  nature  seemed  to  rejoice. 

But  Columbus  and  his  young  companion  paid 
little  heed  to  the  beauties  of  luxuriant  growth  all 
about  their  pathway.  Their  minds  were  rilled  with 
vexatious  thoughts  and  disappointments.  The  sun 
had  long  since  crossed  the  meridian  and  was  descend 
ing  low  in  the  horizon,  and  yet  the  two  journeyed 
on,  forgetful  that  they  had  passed  over  the  noonday 
hour  without  halting  for  rest  or  refreshments. 

Youth  is  joyous.  It  is  the  exception  for  gloom 
and  despair  to  settle  over  a  young  mind,  and  Her- 
nando,  despite  the  recent  disappointments,  felt  his 
spirits  rise  with  the  songs  of  the  birds. 


130  COLUMBIA 

They  had  pursued  their  lonely  -journey  across 
the  Vega  and  reached  the  pass  approaching  the  bridge 
of  Finos,  about  two  leagues  from  Granada,  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  Elvira  —  a  pass  famous  in  the 
Moorish  wars  for  many  a  desperate  encounter  be- 
tween  the  Christian  and  the  infidel.  The  shadows 
were  lengthening,  and  the  eyes  of  the  lad  were  wan 
dering  away  to  westward,  when  suddenly  on  the  air 
there  came  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs. 

Deeply  buried  in  thought,  Columbus  heeded  them 
not,  but  the  ear  of  his  young  companion  was  quicker, 
and  turning  in  his  saddle  he  saw  a  man  mounted  on 
a  black  charger  coming  after  them  at  full  speed.  His 
splendid  attire  and  glittering  trappings  indicated 
that  he  was  a  servant  of  the  royal  household,  and  for 
a  moment  the  youth  was  speechless  in  wonder.  The 
pursuer  took  off  his  gorgeously  plumed  hat,  swung  it 
in  the  air,  and  in  a  loud  voice  called  to  them  to  halt. 
They  had  just  reached  the  bridge  of  Pinos  when  the 
shout  reached  their  ears. 

"We  are  pursued,  Sefior  Columbus,"  said  the  lad. 

Turning  in  his  saddle,  Columbus  gave  the  ap 
proaching  man  a  hasty  glance,  and  remarked: 

"It's  the  queen's  courier;  he  comes  to  bring  us 
news."  A  glow  of  revived  hope  gleamed  in  his 
face. 

"Halt,  halt,  halt!"  cried  the  courier,  waving  his 
hat  above  his  head. 

Columbus  and  Hernando  stopped  almost  on  the 
bridge,  and  awaited  the  rider's  approach. 


AT  THE  BRIDGE  OF  PINOS  131 

"Are  you  Christopher  Columbus?"  asked  the 
courier,  reining  in  his  panting  steed. 

"I  am  he,"  was  the  answer. 

"The  queen  has  sent  me  to  summon  you  back  to 
Santa  Fe." 

Columbus's  eyes  lighted  again;  but  he  hesitated. 
Was  it,  after  all,  worth  while  to  return  and  subject 
himself  to  the  further  equivocations  of  the  court? 

"I  doubt  whether  it  is  better  to  delay  my  depar 
ture,"  he  said  at  last.  "I  gave  her  majesty,  the 
queen,  my  terms  and  she  rejected  them,  and  I  can  do 
no  more." 

"Senor,  try  once  more,"  began  the  boy. 

"Her  majesty  accedes  to  your  terms,"  cried  the 
courier. 

"Go,  sefior,  go!"  cried  Hernando,  who  was  all 
hope  and  excitement.  "We  shall  yet  succeed!" 

The  youth's  enthusiasm  was  contagious.  Colum 
bus  turned  his  mule  about  and .  hastened  back  to 
Santa  Fe,  confiding  in  the  noble  generosity  of  the 
queen. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FROM    GLOOM   TO    SUNLIGHT. 

LET  those  disposed  to  faint  under  difficulties,  in 
the  prosecution  of  any  laudable  undertaking,  remem 
ber  that  eighteen  years  elapsed  from  the  time  Colum 
bus  conceived  his  enterprise  until  he  was  enabled 
to  carry  it  into  effect;  that  the  greater  part  of  that 
time  was  passed  in  almost  hopeless  solicitation  amid 
penury,  neglect,  and  taunting  ridicule;  that  the 
prime  of  his  life  had  wasted  away  in  the  struggle, 
and  that  when  his  perseverance  was  finally  crowned 
with  success  he  was  in  his  fifty-sixth  year.  His 
example  should,  inspire  the  enterprising  of  all  genera 
tions  never  to  despair. 

It  was  nightfall  before  Columbus  reached  Santa 
Fe,  but  the  queen  had  made  provision  for  him  and 
Hernando  to  be  lodged  in  a  wing  of  the  castle.  The 
next  morning  she  called  him  before  her  and  assured 
him  that  his  terms  would  be  agreed  upon. 

"The  king  has  not  granted  his  favor,"  the  queen 
continued,  "and  I  undertake  the  project  for  my 
crown  of  Castile;  yet  I  feel  confident  that  he  can  at 
least  be  persuaded  to  give  a  nominal  consent." 

"His  majesty's  co-operation  in  my  plans  would 
add  great  weight  to  my  authority,"  Columbus 
answered. 

132 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  133 

"I  shall  seek  to  obtain  it.  By  the  bye,  Senor 
Columbus,  is  this  little  boy  whom  I  always  see  with 
you  your  son?" 

"No,  your  majesty.  He  is  a  lad  with  whom  I 
was  accidentally  thrown,  and  who  wishes  to  go  with 
me  on  the  voyage.  But  I  have  a  son,  for  whom  I 
have  a  favor  to  ask." 

"What  favor?" 

"When  I  sail  I  leave  him  practically  an  orphan 
among  strangers.  He  will  be  unprovided  for,  as  all 
my  means,  as  well  as  the  substance  of  friends,  are 
hazarded  in  this  enterprise.  He  is  a  bright,  honest, 
earnest  lad,  and  would  serve  you  well.  Can  you  not 
care  for  him?  " 

The  generous-hearted  queen  was  moved,  and 
after  a  few  moments'  reflection  answered: 

"  I  will  make  him  a  page  to  our  young  Prince  Juan, 
the  heir  apparent,  with  an  allowance  for  his  support." 

Columbus  was  deeply  grateful  to  the  good  queen. 
It  was  more  than  he  had  dared  hope  for,  for  this  was  an 
honor  granted  only  to  persons  of  distinguished  rank. 

Diego  was  at  once  sent  for,  and  as  Hernando  still 
lingered  at  Santa  Fe,  he  met  the  son  of  his  benefactor. 
They  were  soon  fast  friends,  and  were  seldom  sepa 
rated  until  Diego's  appointment  was  confirmed  and 
he  had  entered  on  his  duties. 

In  their  rambles  about  the  court  and  city  the  boys 
related  their  personal  histories. 

"I  go  with  your  father  to  seek  my  father,"  said 
Hernando. 


134  COLUMBIA 

"And  I  remain,  perhaps  to  lose  a  father/'  Diego 
answered. 

"Be  of  good  cheer,  for  he  will  succeed  in  his  great 
enterprise,  and  place  your  name  among  the  bright 
est  in  history." 

"I  have  read  of  great  men,  and  their  lives  have 
always  had  more  sorrow  than  joy  in  them.  To  be 
great  involves  much  misery,  and  I  sometimes  wonder 
if  honors  gained  by  conquest  or  discovery  are  worth 
the  inevitable  pain." 

They  had  wandered  beyond  the  walls  of  the  city 
and  were  sitting  under  the  wide-spreading  branches 
of  a  giant  old  oak.  Suddenly  a  cavalier  was  dis 
covered  galloping  down  the  road  toward  them. 

He  wore  no  helmet  or  visor,  and  his  features  were 
in  plain  view.  Hernando  started  to  his  feet,  crying: 

"  It  is  my  Uncle  Garcia!  " 

Diego  Columbus,  having  heard  the  dark  story 
of  Hernando's  wrongs,  felt  his  heart  swell  with 
indignation,  and  was  strongly  inclined,  boy  as  he 
was,  to  denounce  the  villain  to  his  face. 

Sir  Garcia  drew  rein  in  front  of  the  boys,  and, 
fixing  his  eyes  on  Hernando,  asked: 

"Were  you  with  Columbus?" 

"Yes,  senor." 

"Are  you  his  son?" 

"No;  there  is  his  son." 

"Was  he  made  page  to  Prince  Juan?  " 

"He  was." 

"Are  you  going  with  Columbus  on  this  voyage?  " 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  135 

"Yes." 

"Is  your  name  Hernando  Estevan?" 

"Yes." 

The  knight  nodded  and  rode  away.  For  a  long 
time  the  boys  stood  gazing  after  him,  and  at  last 
Diego  asked: 

"What  does  he  mean?" 

"I  cannot  say,"  Hernando  answered. 

"Whatever  his  meaning  may  be,  it  bodes  you 
no  good,  Hernando." 

"Perhaps  not.  He  aided  the  wicked  Moor  to 
work  my  father's  ruin,  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  would 
do  me  an  injury  if  he  dared." 

Sir  Garcia  Estevan  meantime  was  ill  at  ease,  and 
when  he  had  reached  his  own  chamber  he  sat  down 
to  determine  what  course  to  pursue. 

"Columbus  has  succeeded  at  the  moment  we 
thought  defeat  assured,"  he  reflected.  "He  takes 
Roderigo's  son  with  him  on  this  voyage  of  discovery. 
If  I  were  assured  that  Roderigo  was  dead,  there  would 
be  less  to  fear;  but,  if  living,  and  the  expedition  of 
Columbus  proves  successful,  then  I  have  cause  to 
tremble.  Even  if  Roderigo  be  dead,  and  the  son 
comes  to  share  the  glories  of  Columbus,  he  may  yet 
displace  me;  for  the  lad  evidently  has  his  ambition, 
and  no  love  for  me.  I  must  defeat  the  voyage." 

He  pondered  long  over  the  curious  case,  and 
finally  called  his  esquire. 

"Do  you  know  where  the  sailor  Miguel  can  be 
found?"  he  asked. 


136  COLUMBIA 

"I  do,  Sir  Garcia." 

"Bring  him  to  me  at  once." 

"Yes,  Sir  Garcia." 

The  esquire  bowed  and  retired.  The  knight 
took  off  his  greaves  and  breastplate,  and  hung  them 
by  his  sword  upon  the  rack.  An  hour  later  the 
sailor  was  ushered  into  his  presence.  Miguel  bowed 
and  stood  humbly  before  the  knight. 

"I  am  very  much  interested  in  you,  Miguel," 
remarked  the  knight,  with  a  smile;  "I  have  become 
so  interested  in  you  that  I  have  taken  the  pains  to 
examine  into  your  past  history." 

Miguel  grew  uneasy  and  shifted  his  gaze. 

"You  have  been  engaged  in  many  doubtful 
enterprises;  among  them,  smuggling." 

"Oh,  sir  knight— 

"Peace!  I  have  not  declared  that  it  was  my 
intention  to  expose  you.  I  have  sent  for  you  to 
learn  if  you  are  willing  to  serve  me.' 

"With  my  life,  my  lord." 

"Swear  it!" 

"I  swear  —  on  the  holy  cross." 

"If  you  prove  false,  you  shall  pay  dear!" 

"Yes,  my  lord.     What  would  you  have  me  do?" 

"Columbus  has  secured  the  aid  of  the  crown  in  a 
prospective  voyage,  and  the  rumor  has  already 
spread  that  he  will  sail  from  the  port  of  Palos.  He 
takes  with  him  on  that  voyage  a  boy  named  Her- 
nando,  a  partially  insane  lad,  filled  with  an  hallucina 
tion  that  his  father  is  a  captive  on  some  island  far 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  137 

off  in  the  western  seas.  You  must  see  to  it  that  the 
voyage  fails." 

"How  shall  I  bring  it  about?" 

"Hasten  to  Palos  and  ship  as  one  of  the  crew  on 
board  the  admiral's  vessel;  there  you  will  find  many 
ways.  Incite  a  mutiny." 

"Ay,  I  see." 

"Scuttle  the  ship." 

"And  lose  my  own  life." 

"Do  it  while  so  near  land  that  you  may  escape. 
But  if  that  be  too  difficult,  see  that  neither  the  lad 
nor  Christopher  Columbus  comes  back  alive." 

"I  understand  you,  my  lord." 

"If  necessary,  use  the  dagger;  you  know  how. 
Make  way  with  both  before  you  let  them  return  to 
triumph  over  me." 

"I  understand 

"Your  reward  shall  be  two  thousand  florins,  but 
do  not  slay  unless  success  promises  to  crown  their 
efforts." 

"Why  not  slay  them  in  any  event?  " 

"I  do  not  seek  to  have  unnecessary  blood  on  my 
hands.  If  they  fail,  they  return  humiliated,  and 
I  do  not  care  to  take  their  lives.  Only  in  case  of 
success  are  they  dangerous.  You  can  easily  incite 
the  crew  to  mutiny.  The  ships  are  richly  laden; 
seize  them  and  sail  to  some  foreign  port,  where  you 
can  dispose  of  vessels  and  cargo  to  an  advantage." 

Meanwhile  Columbus  was  closing  negotiations 
with  the  king  and  queen.  A  perfect  understanding 


138  COLUMBIA 

having  been  effected  with  the  sovereigns,  articles  of 
agreement  were  ordered  to  be  drawn  up  by-  Juan 
de  Coloma,  the  royal  secretary.  They  were  to  the 
following  effect : 

"First,  That  Christopher  Columbus  should  have 
for  himself,  during  his  life,  and  his  heirs  and  successors 
forever,  the  office  of  admiral  in  all  the  lands  and  conti 
nents  which  he  might  discover  or  acquire  in  the  ocean, 
with  similar  honors  and  prerogatives  to  those  en 
joyed  by  the  high  admiral  of  Castile  in  his  district. 

"Second,  That  he  should  be  -viceroy  and  governor- 
general  over  all  of  said  lands  and  continents;  with 
the  privilege  of  nominating  three  candidates  for  the 
government  or  province,  one  of  whom  should  be 
selected  by  the  sovereigns. 

"Third,  That  he  should  be  entitled  to  reserve 
for  himself  one-tenth  of  all  pearls,  precious  stones, 
gold,  silver,  spices,  and  all  other  articles  of  merchan 
dise,  in  whatever  manner  found,  brought,  bartered, 
or  gained  within  his  admiralty,  the  costs  being  first 
deducted. 

"Fourth,  That  he  or  his  lieutenant  should  be  the 
sole  judge  in  all  causes  and  disputes  arising  out  of 
traffic  between  those  countries  and  Spain,  provided 
the  high  admiral  of  Castile  had  similar  jurisdiction 
in  his  district. 

"Fifth,  That  he  might  then,  and  at  all  times  there 
after,  contribute  an  eighth  part  of  the  expense  in 
fitting  out  vessels  to  sail  on  this  enterprise,  and 
receive  an  eighth  part  of  the  profits." 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  139 

The  last  stipulation  admitting  Columbus  to  bear 
an  eighth  of  the  enterprise,  was  made  in  consequence 
of  his  indignant  proffer  on  being  reproached  by  Sir 
Garcia  Estevan  with  demanding  ample  emoluments, 
while  incurring  no  part  of  the  expense.  Through 
the  aid  of  the  Pinzons  of  Palos  he  fulfilled  the  en 
gagement,  and  added  a  third  vessel  to  the  arma 
ment.  Thus  one-eighth  of  the  expense  attendant 
on  this  grand  expedition,  undertaken  by  a  powerful 
nation,  was  actually  borne  by  the  man  who  con 
ceived  it,  and  who  staked  his  life  on  its  success. 

So  slow  were  the  papers  in  preparation  that  the 
capitulations  were  not  signed  by  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  until  the  seventeenth  day  of  April,  1492, 
when  they  were  duly  executed  at  the  city  of  Santa 
Fe,  in  the  Vega  or  plain  of  Granada. 

A  commission  was  drawn  out  in  form  and  issued 
by  the  sovereigns  to  Columbus,  in  the  city  of  Granada, 
on  the  thirtieth  of  the  same  month,  in  which  the 
dignities  and  prerogatives  of  viceroy  and  governor 
were  made  hereditary  in  his  family;  and  he  and  his 
heirs  were  authorized  to  prefix  the  title  of  Don  to 
their  names,  a  distinction  in  those  days  accorded 
only  to  persons  of  rank  and  estate. 

The  chief  aim  of  Columbus,  as  we  have  shown,  was 
the  propagation  and  extension  of  the  Christian  reli 
gion  and  the  rescue  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  from  the 
hand  of  the  infidel.  The  latter  was  the  dream  of  his 
life,  and  the  great  aim  for  which  he  labored.  Be 
lieving  he  would  reach  the  western  shore  of  Asia, 


140  COLUMBIA 

letters  to  the  Grand  Khan  of  Tartary  were  issued  to 
him  by  the  king  and  queen  of  Spain. 

While  these  negotiations  were  pending  at  court, 
Hernando  Estevan  left  Granada  and  hastened  to 
his  home  to  acquaint  his  family  of  Columbus' 
success,  and  spend  a  few  days  with  them  before  he 
took  his  departure  on  that  voyage  to  seek  an  unknown 
world. 

He  had  been  away  almost  three  years,  return 
ing  only  at  long  intervals.  Senora  Doria  had  grown 
older,  and  her  hair  was  grayer.  The  furrows  on 
her  face  had  deepened,  but  she  was  still  strong  and 
active. 

The  greatest  change  was  in  Christina.  She  was 
now  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  had  developed  a  rare 
and  wonderful  beauty. 

When  he  came  to  greet  her  with  a  brotherly  kiss 
as  of  old,  she  shrank  from  him,  and  her  cheek  flushed 
hot  with  a  crimson  richer  than  the  cactus  flower. 
The  lad  checked  himself.  What  did  it  mean?  Had 
she  grown  afraid  of  him,  or  had  his  long  absence  made 
her  careless  about  him?  Hernando  was  grieved  by 
her  treatment,  until,  on  the  next  day  after  his  arrival 
he  accidentally  caught  her  kissing  a  small  present 
he  had  brought  her  from  Granada.  He  could  not  at 
first  comprehend  the  world  of  tenderness  she  evinced 
for  this  bauble.  None  can  say  how  dear  to  the  heart 
is  the  veriest  trifle  touched  by  the  hand  of  one  we 
love,  and  this  simple  gift  was  to  Christina  an  object  of 
youthful  adoration. 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  141 

"Why  is  Christina  so  changed?"  Hernando asked 
himself  again  and  again. 

From  the  moment  of  his  return  the  coy  little 
maiden  had  experienced  strange  sensations  and 
unaccountable  impulses.  Those  soft  eyes  had  lost 
their  wonted  lustre,  the  rose  tint  had  left  her  cheek, 
and  she  grew  bashful  and  retiring.  Fitful  moods 
of  joy  mingled  with  sighs  and  frequent  tears,  in  her 
tender  heart.  The  simple  amusements  of  her  child 
hood  were  abandoned,  and  she  shunned  the  society 
of  those  whom  she  loved  so  well.  Their  presence 
seemed  only  to  increase  her  bewilderment,  and  she 
sought,  in  the  solitude  of  the  deep-shaded  forests  and 
rocky  glens,  to  find  relief  for  her  strangely  throbbing 
heart. 

One  day,  while  wandering  about  the  rocky  steeps, 
she  suddenly  came  on  Hernando,  who  was  seeking 
her.  She  advanced  sportively  to  meet  him,  but  was 
suddenly  overcome  by  confusion;  her  pale  cheeks 
were  covered  with  blushes  and  her  eyes  no  longer 
dared  meet  his. 

"Christina,"  cried  Hernando,  as  she  turned  away, 
"why  do  you  always  fly  from  me?" 

His  voice,  so  gentle  and  tender,  reached  her  ear, 
and  arrested  her  almost  fleeing  steps.  She  paused, 
her  eyes  still  on  the  ground,  and  stood  trembling, 
from  what  cause  she  could  not  tell. 

Slowly  and  carefully,  as  a  child  tiptoes  toward 
a  hare  which  it  fears  will  take  fright,  the  boy  advanced 
to  the  bashful  maiden. 


142  COLUMBIA 

"Christina,  why  are  you  so  unhappy?  Why  do 
you  shun  me  in  this  way?  Our  happiest  moments 
have  been  spent  wandering,  hand  in  hand,  along 
this  very  beach.  Our  days  together  now  are  few 
indeed,  for  soon  I  shall  depart  on  an  unknown  sea 
to  seek  a  lost  father.  Can  you  not  greet  me  as 
the  dear  little  sister  you  once  were?  I  may  never, 
never  return  from  the  great  unknown  water.  Many 
have  sailed  away  upon  it;  few  have  ever  come  back." 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  sob,  and  saw  tears  trick 
ling  down  her  pretty  cheeks.  Blaming  himself  for 
causing  her  needless  pain,  Hernando  sprang  to  her 
side,  and  clasping  the  maiden  in  his  arms,  pressed  a 
kiss  upon  her  tear-stained  cheek. 

"Forgive  me,  Christina,"  he  said,  " I  have  wounded 
you." 

"Hernando,  brother,  you  are  all  I  have  to  love, 
for  the  cruel  infidel  left  me  without  kindred  on  earth. 
And  now  you  must  go  too." 

Abashed  at  her  own  voice,  the  maiden  was  again 
seized  with  an  almost  uncontrollable  desire  to  fly. 
Hernando  placed  an  arm  about  her.  She  started, 
but  he  held  her  fast,  and,  overcome  with  an  emotion 
as  sudden  as  it  was  overpowering,  she  threw  her 
arms  about  his  neck  and  sobbed  bitterly.  Her 
soul  found  rest,  but  only  momentarily.  When  he 
sought  to  soothe  her  by  his  embraces,  she  turned 
away  her  head,  and  fled  toward  the  ocean.  His 
caresses  excited  too  much  emotion  in  her  heart,  and 
she  sought  the  seashore. 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  143 

Hernando  vexed  himself  in  vain,  endeavoring  to 
comprehend  the  meaning  of  these  new  and  strange 
caprices.  But  to  no  end.  Shy,  coy,  and  distant 
as  she  was,  her  eyes  were  always  on  him,  and  her 
heart  was  his.  He  went  to  the  cottage,  where  he 
told  the  old  grandmother  of  her  changed  demeanor, 
and  Dame  Doria,  shaking  her  head,  answered 
sadly: 

"Christina  and  yourself  will  soon  be  children  no 
longer." 

The  lad's  face  was  mournful,  and  gaining  no  con 
solation  from  his  grandmother,  who  would  say  no 
more,  he  sought  out  the  solitude  of  the  seaside.  There 
he  sat  listening  to  the  sobbing  waves  beating  gently 
against  the  pebble-strewn  shore,  or  to  the  far-off 
splash  of  the  porpoise  in  the  water.  Unconsciously 
his  thoughts  traveled  far  seaward.  Was  his  father 
soon  to  be  found  and  rescued  from  a  life  of  slavery, 
he  asked  himself,  or  had  he  been  all  these  years  de 
luding  himself?  Might  not  his  father  be  sleeping 
beneath  the  sea,  and  his  search  be  quite  in  vain? 

A  gentle  footstep  on  the  sands  behind  him  startled 
the  lad  from  his  painful  reverie  ,and,  turning  quickly, 
he  beheld  Christina,  her  face  flushed  with  shy  confu 
sion.  Again  she  would  have  run  away;  but  a  glance 
at  his  sad,  pale  face  won  her  to  his  side. 

"Are  you  ill?"  she  asked. 

"I  am  sad,  Christina.  I  feel  as  if  my  heart  would 
break." 

"Why  are  you  sad?" 


14  i  COLUMBIA 

"My  sister  is  so  changed." 

"How  am  I  changed?" 

"She  flies  from  me  as  if  she  either  despised  or 
feared  me.  Which  is  it?" 

"Neither."  And  her  head  hung  and  her  radiant 
eyes  dropped  beneath  his  gaze.  He  had  been  watch 
ing  the  sweet  unfolding  of  the  beautiful  girl's  life,  all 
these  years  —  the  blooming  of  a  flower  that  was  to 
exceed  in  beauty  and  fragance  the  rarest  exotic  of  all 
flowery  Spain. 

"Have  I  grown  hateful  to  your  sight,  that  you 
should  seek  to  avoid  me?  Am  I  a  thing  to  be  despised, 
that  you  should  shun  me?  What  has  caused  this 
great  change?" 

Smiling,  she  answered:  "My  dear  brother,  you 
wrong  me.  You  have  grown  far  dearer  to  me,  now 
that  I  am  about  to  lose  you,  than  ever  before. 
Forgive  me,  and  remember  that  we  both  have 
changed;  you  have  grown  so  big  and  strong,  and  I  — 
I  will  soon  cease  to  be  a  child.  I  cannot  understand 
myself,  but  believe  me  when  I  say  I  love  you 
more  dearly  than  ever." 

Again  he  embraced  her,  and  for  a  long  while 
they  sat  side  by  side  clasped  in  each  other's  arms, 
while  the  sea  waves  beat  upon  the  beach  at  their  feet. 

Far  away  beyond  the  blue  sea  roamed  the  thoughts 
of  the  lad.  Cowardly  Doubt,  who  ever  attacks  us 
in  our  weakest  moments,  plie;l  him  with  a  multitude 
of  questions.  Was  the  coming  voyage,  after  all,  but 
the  freak  of  a  madman?  Was  Columbus  himself 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  SUNLIGHT  145 

only  a  clever  lunatic  who  had  deceived  the  crown, 
and,  like  the  siren  in  the  fable,  was  destined  to  lure 
ships  and  crews  to  ruin?  But  even  at  the  thought, 
Hernando's  faith  cast  out  all  distrust;  and  he  knew 
that  Columbus  was  what  he  professed  —  a  learned 
and  experienced  navigator,  called  of  Heaven  to  per 
form  a  great  work. 

After  a  long  silence  the  beautiful  girl  at  his  side 
asked : 

"When  does  the  fleet  sail?" 

"It  may  not  be  for  two  or  three  months." 

"Why  not  fill  the  few  days  left  to  us  with  joy  and 
cheer  rather  than  with  gloom  and  sadness?" 

"Our  lives  have  been  such  a  perpetual  sorrow 
that  a  burst  of  sunshine  is  almost  dazzling:  so  let  us 
welcome  it.  This  is  a  transition  from  gloom  to 
sunlight,  for  Columbus,  after  so  many  years,  has 
triumphed  over  prejudice  and  ignorance.  And  I 
shall  find  my  father  and  return,  Christina,  never 
again  to  leave  you." 

Christina  leaned  toward  him  and  placed  her  cheek 
to  his;  and  they  rose  and  returned  to  the  cottage  in 
silent  happiness. 


Vol.  1—10 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD. 

IN  selecting  Palos  as  the  place  where  the  fleet  was 
to  be  made  ready,  Columbus  doubtless  counted  on 
the  co-operation  of  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon,  resident 
there,  and  on  the  assistance  of  his  zealous  friend,  the 
prior  of  the  convent  of  La  Rabida.  No  doubt  the 
government  was  willing  to  give  him  his  preference 
in  the  matter,  inasmuch  as  the  port  of  Palos,  for 
some  misdemeanor,  had  been  condemned  to  serve 
the  crown  for  a  year  with  two  armed  caravels,  both 
of  which  became  a  part  of  the  armament  of  Columbus. 

Columbus  reached  Palos  on  the  22d  of  May,  and  on 
his  arrival  went  at  once  to  the  neighboring  convent  of 
La  Rabida,  where  he  was  gladly  received  by  the 
worthy  prior  Fray  Juan  Perez,  who  in  the  excess  of 
his  joy  said: 

"You  have  at  last  received  your  long  and  well- 
merited  reward,  my  son." 

In  due  time  Hernando  was  summoned  to  join  the 
waiting  fleet  at  Palos.  Christina  and  the  grand 
mother  bore  the  parting  bravely,  promising  to  follow 
on  slowly  and  be  present  at  the  sailing  of  the  fleet. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  Columbus,  accompanied  by 
Fray  Juan  Perez,  proceeded  to  the  Church  of  St. 
146 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  147 

George  in  Palos,  where  the  alcalde,  the  regidors,  and 
many  of  the  inhabitants  had  been  ordered  to  attend. 
A  notary  public,  standing  on  the  porch  of  the  church, 
read  the  royal  order,  commanding  the  authorities  of 
Palos  to  have  two  armed  caravels  ready  for  sea  within 
ten  days  and  to  place  them  at  the  disposal  of  Colum 
bus,  who  was  empowered  to  fit  out  a  third  vessel. 
The  crews  of  all  three  were  to  receive  the  ordi 
nary  wages  of  seamen  employed  in  armed  vessels, 
and  to  have  four  months'  pay  in  advance.  They 
were  to  sail  in  such  direction  as  Columbus  under 
royal  authority  should  command,  and  were  in  all 
things  to  obey  him.  They  were  forbidden  to  go  to 
St.  George  La  Mina,  on  the  coast  of  Guinea,  or 
any  other  port  of  the  lately  discovered  possessions 
of  Portugal. 

The  public  authorities  and  the  people  of  all  ranks 
and  conditions  in  the  maritime  borders  of  Andalusia 
were  commanded  to  furnish  supplies  and  assistance  of 
all  kinds,  at  fair  prices,  for  the  fitting  out  of  the  ves 
sels;  and  penalties  were  denounced  on  such  as  should 
cause  any  impediment. 

Among  those  gathered  about  the  church  listening 
to  the  orders  was  Miguel,  who  was  among  the  first  to 
volunteer.  No  sooner  had  he  done  so,  than  he  went 
to  a  young,  timid  recruit,  and  said : 

"Do  you  know  where  we  are  to  sail?" 

"No,"  was  the  answer. 

"We  go  to  seek  an  unknown  world." 

The  youth's  cheek  paled. 


148  COLUMBIA 

"That  man  is  Columbus,  the  madman  of  Genoa, 
who  is  going  to  sail  around  the  world,  through  a  sea 
of  liquid  fire,  to  islands  inhabited  by  winged  beasts 
and  dragons,  where  giants  fifty  cubits  high  live  on 
the  flesh  of  shipwrecked  mariners;  a  land  whence  no 
one  ever  returns." 

The  wild  story  spread  rapidly;  and  so  shrewdly 
did  Miguel  manage  it,  that  Columbus  never  dreamed 
that  he  had  betrayed  the  expedition.  The  owners 
of  vessels  refused  to  furnish  them.  The  boldest  sea 
men  shrank  from  such  a  wild,  chimerical  cruise  in  the 
wilderness  of  the  ocean.  All  kinds  of  frightful  tales 
and  fables  were  conjured  up  concerning  the  unknown 
regions  of  the  deep;  and  nothing  can  be  stronger 
evidence  of  the  boldness  of  this  undertaking,  than  the 
extreme  dread  in  which  some  of  the  most  adventurous 
navigators  held  it. 

Weeks  elapsed.  Further  mandates  were  issued 
by  the  sovereigns,  ordering  the  magistrates  of  the 
coast  of  Andalusia  to  press  into  service  any  vessels 
they  might  think  proper.  Juan  de  Penalosa,  an 
officer  of  the  royal  household,  was  sent  to  see  that 
these  commands  were  properly  obeyed.  The  order 
was  acted  upon  by  Columbus  in  Palos  and  the  neigh 
boring  town  of  Moguer,  but  with  as  little  success  as 
before. 

The  communities  of  those  places  were  thrown  into 
confusion.  Tumults  ensued,  and  on  several  occasions 
they  were  on  the  eve  of  riot. 

"I  thought  our  troubles  over,"  said  Hernando  to 


' 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  149 

Columbus,  a  few  days  after  joining  him,  "but  they 
seem  only  to  have  commenced." 

"I  will  see  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  and  his  brother 
tomorrow,"  Columbus  answered.  "We  need  their 
services  again;  we  cannot  succeed  without  them." 

"I  thought,  having  the  aid  of  the  crown,  none 
other  was  needed." 

"Just  now  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  and  his  brothers 
may  be  more  effective  than  the  king  and  queen. 
They  are  navigators  of  great  courage  and  ability, 
owning  numerous  vessels  and  keeping  many  seamen 
in  their  employ.  They  have  many  relatives  among 
the  seafaring  inhabitants  of  Palos  and  Moguer,  and 
great  influence  throughout  the  neighborhood.  If 
they  decide  to  go  with  us,  it  will  inspire  courage 
and  confidence  in  all  the  others." 

Next  day  Columbus  sent  for  Martin  Alonzo  and 
his  brother,  Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon,  and  after  making 
them  acquainted  with  the  true  situation,  said: 

"You  see  the  strait  to  which  I  am  reduced. 
Although  aided  by  the  crown,  I  want  still  more.  I 
need  men  who  will  inspire  the  sailors  with  confi 
dence.  You  have  both,  my  friend.  You  believe  in 
my  theory.  Will  you  still  further  aid  me?" 

Alonzo  Pinzon  asked  for  time  to  confer  with  his 
brother,  and,  Columbus  assenting,  they  retired  to  a 
separate  apartment.  Hernando  remained  in  the 
outside  hall  with  Columbus,  who,  with  head  bowed 
and  hands  clasped  behind  his  back,  paced  up  and 
down  before  the  room  in  which  the  Pinzons  were 


150  COLUMBIA 

ji  consultation.  After  two  hours,  the  door  opened 
and  the  brothers  came  out.  Columbus  paused  and 
fixed  his  eyes  on  them'with  an  eager,  inquiring  look. 

"We  have  decided  to  go,"  said  Martin  Pinzon. 
"We  will  furnish  one  of  the  vessels,  and  will  accom 
pany  you." 

"My  friends,  you  have  saved  the  expedition  and 
will  win  eternal  honor  for  your  names  and  country." 

Two  other  vessels,  with  owners  and  crews,  were 
pressed  into  service  by  the  arbitrary  mandate  of 
the  sovereigns.  It  is  a  striking  instance  of  the 
despotic  authority  exercised  over  commerce  in 
those  times,  that  respectable  individuals  should 
thus  be  compelled  to  engage  in  what  appeared  to 
be  a  mad  and  desperate  enterprise. 

But  all  difficulties  had  not  yet  been  removed. 
Sir  Garcia  Estevan,  the  most  malignant  enemy  of 
Columbus,  came  to  Palos  to  hinder  and  delay  the 
equipment.  He  did  nothing  openly;  but,  aided  by 
Miguel,  his  hireling,  he  covertly  caused  difficulties 
to  arise  among  the  seamen  who  had  been  compelled 
to  embark.  Gomez  Rascon  and  Christoval  Quintero, 
owners  of  the  Pinta,  one  of  the  ships  pressed  into 
service,  were  made  to  believe  it  a  mad,  desperate 
enterprise,  and  exerted  all  their  influence  to  defeat 
the  voyage.  The  calkers  employed  on  the  vessel  did 
their  work  in  a  careless  and  imperfect  manner,  and, 
on  being  required  to  do  it  over  again,  refused  and 
departed.  Many  seamen,  who  in  the  first  wave  of 
enthusiasm  had  enlisted,  repented  their  hardihood 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  151 

and  sought  to  retract;  others  deserted  and  concealed 
themselves  in  the  interior;  and  thus,  from  the  time 
of  Sir  Garcia's  appearance,  difficulty  after  difficulty 
arose.  None,  of  course,  could  be  traced  to  him. 

The  influence  and  example  of  the  Pinzons  had  a 
great  effect  in  allaying  this  opposition  and  inducing 
many  of  their  friends  and  relatives  to  embark. 
They  represented  that  the  enterprise  was  one  which 
would  shed  glory  throughout  all  time,  and  that  every 
man  wrho  engaged  in  it  would  immortalize  his  name. 
It  is  quite  certain  that  the  assistance  of  the  Pinzons 
was  very  important,  if  not  indispensable,  in  fitting 
out  and  launching  the  expedition;  and  despite  Garcia 
Estevan  and  his  hirelings,  the  preparations  went 
steadily  on. 

The  ships  in  which  Columbus  was  to  embark 
were  vessels  to  which  no  mariner  of  the  present  day 
would  think  of  entrusting  his  life  for  such  a  voyage. 
The  largest,  a  ship  of  no  considerable  burden,  was 
commanded  by  Columbus  as  admiral,  who  gave  it 
the  name  of  Santa  Maria,  out  of  respect  for  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  whom  he  honored  with  singular 
devotion.  Of  the  second,  called  the  Pinta,  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  was  captain,  and  his  brother  Francis, 
pilot.  The  third,  named  the  Nina,  had  lateen  sails 
and  an  open  deck,  and  was  under  command  of  Vin 
cent  Yanez  Pinzon.  These  two  were  light  vessels, 
hardly  superior  in  burden  or  force  to  large  boats. 

There  were  three  other  pilots  —  Sancho  Ruiz, 
Alonzo  Nino,  and  Bartolomeo  Roldan.  Roderigo 


152  COLUMBIA 

Sanchez,  of  Segovia,  was  inspector-general  of  the 
armament,  and  Diego  de  Arana,  a  native  of  Cordova, 
chief  alquazil.  Roderigo  de  Escobar  went  as  royal 
notary  —  an  officer  always  sent  in  the  armaments  of 
the  crown  —  to  take  official  notes  of  all  occurrences. 
These,  with  a  physician  and  a  surgeon,  together  with 
various  private  adventurers,  several  servants,  and 
ninety  mariners  —  making,  in  all,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  persons,  including  Columbus  and  Hernando  — 
constituted  the  members  engaged  in  the  expedition. 

By  the  beginning  of  August  every  difficulty  had 
been  overcome,  and  the  vessels  were  ready  for  sea.  It 
had  been  a  busy  day  in  the  little  town  of  Palos.  All 
was  bustle,  confusion,  and  excitement.  At  dusk 
Miguel  stole  away  from  the  village  to  the  ruins  of  an 
ancient  castle,  half  a  league  distant.  He  found  a 
knight  in  armor  awaiting  him.  It  was  Sir  Garcia  — 
standing  by  his  steed,  one  arm  impatiently  thrown 
across  the  animal's  neck. 

"What  news,  Miguel?"  he  asked,  as  the  sailor 
came  up. 

"The  expedition  is  ready  to  sail." 

"Can  we  prevent  it?" 

"No,  Sir  Garcia," 

"In  which  ship  goes  the  lad?  " 

"With  the  admiral." 

"Miguel,  you  must  be  in  the  same  ship." 

"Trust  me  to  do  your  bidding,  Sir  Garcia." 

The  knight  then  proceeded  to  give  his  hireling 
final  orders;  and  history  has  recorded,  in  letters 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  153 

that  will  never  fade,  how  faithfully  those  instruc 
tions  were  carried  out. 

It  was  Thursday,  August  2,  1492.  The  sun  was 
high  in  the  sky,  though  it  had  not  passed  the  meridian. 
On  the  morrow  the  fleet  was  to  sail,  and  Senora 
Doria  and  Christina  had  not  come.  All  day  Her- 
nando  watched  the  gray,  dust-strewn  road,  wind 
ing  about  among  the  hills  beyond  the  convent;  but 
it  was  evening  before  he  saw  two  females,  mounted 
on  donkeys,  coming  toward  Palos.  Recognizing 
them  as  his  grandmother  and  Christina,  he  flew  to 
meet  them. 

"Come  with  me,"  he  cried,  "we  have  a  house 
prepared  for  you,  where  you  may  rest  until  the  depar 
ture  of  the  vessels." 

Late  that  night  Columbus  found  the  boy  and  the 
girl  standing  on  the  beach,  gazing  off  at  the  three 
vessels  lying  in  the  harbor.  He  was  about  to  speak 
to  them,  but  rinding  both  in  tears,  regarded  their 
mournful  silence  as  too  sacred  to  be  broken. 

The  squadron  being  ready  to  put  to  sea,  Colum 
bus  made  confession  to  the  friar  Juan  Perez  and 
partook  of  the  sacrament  of  the  communion.  His 
example  was  followed  by  his  officers  and  most  of  the 
crew;  and  they  entered  upon  their  enterprise  full  of 
awe,  and  with  the  most  devout  and  affecting  cere 
monial,  committing  themselves  to  the  special  guid 
ance  and  protection  of  Heaven. 

Friday,  the  third  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1492,  was 
the  day  set  for  sailing.  The  morning  dawned  bright 


154  COLUMBIA 

and  clear.  The  ocean  which  our  adventurers  were  to 
explore  was  calm  and  mild  as  the  summer  sky.  Long 
before  dawn  of  day  the  town  had  been  awake,  and 
everybody  was  now  astir.  The  old,  the  sick,  the 
lame,  and  the  blind,  those  who  but  seldom  crept 
from  their  houses,  were  early  risen.  A  deep  gloom 
overspread  the  village,  for  almost  everyone  had  some 
relative  or  friend  aboard  the  squadron. 

The  sailors  had  been  taken  aboard  the  day  before, 
but  Hernando,  Columbus,  and  a  few  others  remained 
to  bid  a  last  farewell.  Many  an  eye  grew  dim  and 
many  a  breast  heaved  with  sobs,  as  the  morning 
dawned.  Christina  and  the  grandmother  embraced 
Hernando  and  bade  him  farewell,  perhaps  forever. 
The  lad  smiled  bravely,  and  uttered  words  of  en 
couragement  which  grown  men  and  battle-scarred 
veterans  could  not  speak. 

Columbus  took  his  place  in  the  bow  of  the  boat 
which  was  to  convey  them  to  the  vessel;  Hernando 
stood  in  the  stern,  smiling  bravely  and  waving  his 
cap  at  the  loved  ones  on  shore. 

' '  Farewell,  Christina !  Grandame,  farewell !  Weep 
not  for  me,  for  I  will  soon  return  and  bring  back  my 
father." 

"So  the  fool  has  really  set  out  to  find  his  father," 
sneered  a  dark  knight  on  the  shore. 

The  boat  reached  the  Santa  Maria  and  was  hoisted 
on  board.  Then  anchors  were  raised,  sails  unfurled,  and 
deep-throated  cannon  boomed  forth  the  news  that  the 
squadron  had  departed  to  discover  an  unknown  world. 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  155 

"Oh,  he  is  gone,  he  is  gone!  "  cried  Christina,  and 
fell  into  the  arms  of  the  weeping  grandmother. 

When  she  recovered  self-possession,  the  squadron 
was  out  of  sight,  and  she  wrung  her  hands  and  sobbed 
in  wild  despair,  for  hours  refusing  to  be  comforted. 

Columbus  set  sail  from  the  bar  of  Saltes,  a  small 
island  formed  by  the  arms  of  the  Odiel,  in  front  of 
the  town  of  Huelva,  steering  in  a  southwesterly 
direction  for  the  Canary  Islands,  whence  it  was  his 
intention  to  strike  due  west.  As  a  guide  to  his  course, 
he  had  made  a  map  that  was  an  improvement  over 
the  one  sent  him  by  Paulo  Toscanelli. 

The  exultation  of  Columbus  never  exhibited  itself 
above  the  calm,  dignified  demeanor  of  the  admiral 
until  the  little  fleet  was  under  way  and  the  shore 
began  to  fade  from  view.  After  eighteen  years  of 
hard  labor,  after  enduring  disappointment  and 
scoffs  and  indignation,  beyond  the  lot  of  ordinary 
mortals,  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  should  now  exhibit 
some  signs  of  triumph.  He  paced  the  quarter-deck 
as  the  Santa  Maria  bounded  over  the  waters,  and 
his  face,  usually  so  grave  and  solemn,  was  lighted 
with  smiles.  Hernando  had  borne  up  well  until  the 
little  seaport  town  faded  from  sight,  and  then,  cover 
ing  his  face  with  his  hands,  he  gave  way  to  tears. 

"Cheer  up,  my  lad,  be  brave.  We  have  tri 
umphed.-  Our  expedition  cannot  now  fail." 

"It  is  not  dread  of  danger  before,  but  regret  for 
those  behind,  that  causes  my  tears,"  he  answered. 

His  was  not  the  only  damp  cheek  on  that  deck 


156  COLUMBIA 

Many  a  hardy  sailor's  eye  grew  dim,  and  many 
bearded  faces  were  wet  with  tears,  as  the  coast  of 
Spain  faded  from  view. 

"Oh,  land  of  our  fathers,  beautiful  home  of  our 
wives  and  children,  shall  we  never  see  thee  more?" 
they  cried,  pressing  to  the  ship's  stern,  and  stretching 
their  hands  toward  the  fast-fading  shore.  This  was 
only  the  beginning  of  a  period  of  dread  and  discon 
tent,  fomented  always  by  the  spy  Miguel,  who  never 
lost  an  opportunity  to  breed  discord  among  his  fel 
low-sailors. 

The  exultation  of  Columbus  was  soon  checked  by 
his  want  of  confidence  in  the  resolution  and  perse 
verance  of  his  crews.  As  long  as  he  remained  within 
reach  of  Europe,  there  was  no  certainty  that  in  a 
moment  of  repentance  and  alarm,  they  might  not 
renounce  the  prosecution  of  the  voyage  and  insist  on 
a  return. 

Symptoms  soon  appeared  to  warrant  his  appre 
hensions.  Miguel  was  constantly  whispering  with 
the  men,  and  the  ominous  shaking  of  heads  and 
nervous  anxiety,  betrayed  in  the  features  of  each, 
bore  evidence  that  trouble  was  brewing. 

But  Columbus  was  equal  to  the  emergency. 
Reassuming  his  calm  and  dignified  demeanor,  he 
seemed  to  have  no  apprehension,  and  continued 
giving  orders  as  if  there  was  nothing  to  fear.  At 
night  he  studied  the  stars,  and  the  day  he  spent  with 
his  log-book  and  astrolabe,  making  calculations  and 
estimates. 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  157 

On  the  third  day  out  Columbus  was  in  his  cabin 
thus  engaged,  when  the  door  opened  and  Hernando, 
entering  unannounced,  cried: 

"Lord  admiral,  the  Pinta  is  making  signs  of 
distress." 

His  face  expressing  anxiety,  Columbus  hastened 
on  deck  and,  seizing  a  glass,  glanced  at  the 
vessel. 

"She  is  indeed  in  trouble,"  he  said.  "Her  rudder 
is  broken  and  unhung.  This,  I  fear,  has  been  done 
through  the  contrivance  of  Gomez  Rascon  and  Chris- 
toval  Quintero  to  disable  their  vessel  and  cause  her 
to  be  left  behind." 

One  man  on  whose  ears  those  words  fell  could 
easily  have  solved  the  mystery.  His  evil  black  eyes 
sparkled  with  devilish  satisfaction,  and  he  mumbled 
to  himself: 

"The  admiral  guesses  but  too  well.  Sir  Garcia 
and  the  owners  of  the  Pinta  pay  me  liberally,  and 
I  never  fail  to  do  my  work  satisfactorily." 

Columbus  was  much  disturbed  at  this  occurrence. 
The  wind  was  blowing  strongly  at  the  time,  so  that 
he  could  not  render  assistance  without  endangering 
his  own  vessel.  But  the  captain  of  the  Pinta  secured 
the  rudder  by  cords,  so  as  to  gain  a  temporary  control 
over  it.  The  control  was  only  temporary,  however, 
for  next  day  the  fastenings  gave  way,  and  the  other 
ships  were  forced  to  shorten  sail  until  the  rudder 
could  be  secured. 

Not  only  was  the  rudder  broken,  but  the  Pinta 


158  COLUMBIA 

had  sprung  a  leak,  and  the  admiral  determined  to 
put  into  the  Canary  Islands  and  seek  some  vessel  to 
replace  the  damaged  one.  On  the  morning  of  the 
9th  of  August,  six  days  after  leaving  the  port  of  Palos, 
they  reached  the  Canaries. 

As  no  suitable  vessel  could  be  found  to  take  the 
place  of  the  Pinta,  a  new  rudder  was  made  for  her, 
and  she  was  otherwise  repaired  to  make  her  sea 
worthy  for  so  long  and  mysterious  a  voyage.  The 
lateen  sails  of  the  Nina  were  altered  into  square  sails, 
that  she  might  work  more  steadily  and  securely, 
and  be  able  to  keep  company  with  the  other  vessels. 
All  this  required  three  weeks'  time.  One  day  as 
they  lay  off  the  coast  of  one  of  the  Canaries,  Her- 
nando  was  amazed  and  alarmed  at  beholding  the 
lofty  peak  of  Teneriffe  sending  forth  volumes  of 
flame  and  smoke. 

"Look,  look!"  cried  Miguel  to  a  party  of  sailors 
on  deck.  "Behold,  the  very  bowels  of  the  earth 
are  aflame.  We  will  find  the  fires  grow  more  frequent 
as  we  advance,  until  we  shall  be  consumed  in  a  sea 
of  flame.  That  is  an  omen  sent  by  Heaven  to  warn 
us  not  to  proceed."  Being  ready  to  take  alarm  at 
any  extraordinary  phenomenon  and  construe  it  into 
a  disastrous  portent,  the  sailors  were  willing  to  be 
lieve  him  and  were  already  on  the  eve  of  a  panic, 
when  Hernando  hastened  to  the  admiral  with  the 
alarming  intelligence.  Columbus  took  great  pains 
to  dispel  their  apprehensions,  explaining  the  natural 
causes  of  those  volcanic  fires  and  verifying  his  ex- 


SEEKING  AN  UNKNOWN  WORLD  159 

planations  by  citing  Mount  Etna  and  other  well- 
known  volcanoes. 

One  day  while  they  were  lying  off  the  island  of 
Gomera,  taking  in  wood  and  provisions,  a  vessel 
arrived  from  Ferro.  The  captain  was  a  distant 
relative  of  the  Pinzons,  and,  learning  the  object  of 
the  expedition,  he  hastened  to  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon's 
vessel.  After  a  short  consultation  they  went  to 
gether  on  board  the  admiral's  ship. 

"We  have  news,  admiral,  that  may  be  alarming," 
said  Captain  Pinzon. 

"What  is  the  news?" 

"The  captain,  whose  word  may  be  taken  as  true, 
reports  three  armed  Portuguese  caravels  hovering 
off  the  island  of  Ferro,  evidently  with  the  intention 
of  capturing  you." 

"I  have  suspected  some  such  hostile  strategy 
on  the  part  of  the  king  of  Portugal,  in  revenge  for 
having  engaged  in  the  service  of  Spain,"  Columbus 
answered. 

"What  will  you  do?"  asked  Pinzon. 

"Is  the  Pinta  seaworthy?" 

"She  is,  admiral." 

"Get  ready  to  sail  at  once." 

"I  will  be  ready  in  an  hour." 

"Can  you  convey  your  order  to  your  brother?" 

"I  can." 

"Do  so;    we  will  sail  at  daylight." 

At  dawn  Columbus  had  a  signal-light  hoisted  at 
the  mast-head  of  the  Santa  Maria,  and  the  vessels 


160  COLUMBIA 

weighed  anchor.  They  were  scarcely  clear  of  the 
harbor,  and  the  gray  twilight  still  overspread  the 
waters,  when  a  vessel,  suddenly  rounding  a  point, 
came  within  bow-shot  of  the  Santa  Maria. 

"Admiral!  the  Portuguese!"  cried  Hernando, 
who  stood  on  the  poop-deck. 

The  quick  eye  of  Columbus  soon  discovered  the 
boy's  mistake.  "It  is  a  Moorish  caravel,"  he  an 
swered.  The  Moor  came  along  until  she  was  near 
enough  for  the  Spaniards  to  see  her  deck,  and,  as 
it  grew  lighter  every  moment,  they  even  made  out 
the  features  of  the  dark-skinned  sailors. 

"Hernando  Estevan,"  cried  a  voice  from  the 
approaching  vessel.  "Son  of  the  Christian  slave, 
whither  are  you  bound?  Be  where  it  may,  take 
the  curse  of  the  Moor  with  you." 

The  speaker  was  a  tall,  powerful  fellow,  whose 
left  ear  had  been  cut  away  close  to  his  head.  It 
was  the  lad's  old  enemy,  Abdallah  Ahmed. 

Before  Hernando  could  reply,  the  Moorish  caravel 
swept  by,  and  the  little  fleet  went  bounding  away 
before  a  stiff  breeze.  Land  faded  from  sight,  and 
they  were  far,  far  out  on  an  unknown  sea,  seeking 
an  unknown  world. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    MUTINY. 

COLUMBUS  felt  relieved  when  land  finally  disap 
peared,  and  they  were  speeding  farther  and  farther 
away  into  the  unknown  wilderness  of  water.  "They 
cannot  desert  now;  we  must  go  on." 

The  wind  was  fair  and  the  vessels  made  good 
speed.  The  Nina,  now  that  her  sails  were  squared, 
managed  to  keep  pace  with  the  others.  Most  of 
the  crew  had  borne  up  well  until  now,  but  on  losing 
sight  of  the  last  trace  of  land  and  knowing  that  they 
were  entering  upon  an  unexplored  ocean,  their  hearts 
failed  them.  On  the  second  day  out  Columbus 
found  a  strong  sailor  in  tears. 

"How  is  this,  a  man  weeping?  Shame!  It  is 
for  women  and  children  to  shed  tears,"  he  said, 
halting  at  the  sailor's  side. 

"Never  before  have  men  been  separated  from 
the  world  as  we  are,"  answered  the  sailor.  "Behind 
us  is  everything  that  the  heart  holds  dear  —  country, 
family,  friends,  life  itself;  before  us  are  mystery, 
chaos,  and  death." 

"Oh,  no,  my  brave  man!  Do  not  despair!  We 
have  far  different  things  before  us,"  said  Columbus, 
in  a  cheerful  tone.  "You  will  live  to  return  home 
VOL  i—ii  161 


162  COLUMBIA 

and  tell  those  friends  of  adventures  of  which  they 
never  dreamed." 

"No,  no,  we  shall  never  see  our  homes  again," 
said  another. 

It  became  necessary  for  the  admiral  to  inspire 
them  with  hope  and  confidence,  in  order  to  avert 
serious  results.  A  number  of  the  despairing  ones 
had  gathered  about,  and  he  addressed  them  thus: 

"Why  give  way  to  fears  and  cowardice  when  so 
much  lies  in  store  for  you?  A  lofty  ambition  should 
fill  you  with  joy  at  our  glorious  anticipations.  I 
am  taking  you  to  magnificent  countries;  to  islands 
in  the  Indian  seas  teeming  with  gold  and  precious 
stones;  to  the  regions  of  Mangi  and  Cathay,  with  their 
cities  of  universal  wealth  and  splendor.  Be  of  good 
cheer,  and  I  will  give  you  lands  and  gold  in  abun 
dance.  Riches  in  gold,  jewels,  and  fine  raiment, 
such  as  kings  might  envy,  shall  be  yours.  Why 
will  you  despair?" 

Columbus  made  these  promises,  believing  confi 
dently  that  they  would  all  be  realized. 

He  issued  orders  to  the  other  vessels  that  in 
case  they  should  become  separated,  they  should 
keep  on  due  westward;  but  that,  after  sailing  seven 
hundred  leagues,  they  should  lay  by  from  midnight 
until  daylight.  At  about  that  distance  he  expected 
to  find  land. 

It  seems  remarkable  that  Columbus  should  have 
taken  into  his  confidence  one  so  young  as  Hernando, 
but  the  lad  had  been  with  him  so  long  and  he  had 


THE  MUTINY  163 

found  the  boy's  judgment  so  good,  that  in  some  things 
he  trusted  him  even  before  the  Pinzons.  Hernando 
was  quick  of  perception  and  seemed  to  read  the 
thoughts  of  the  sailors.  On  discovering  that  their 
fears  increased  with  the  distance  from  Spain,  he 
communicated  with  the  admiral. 

"If  there  were  only  some  way  to  deceive  them," 
said  Hernando.  "If  we  could  only  make  them  be 
lieve  that  we  were  not  going  so  far  nor  so  fast  as  we 
are,  it  might  allay  their  apprehensions." 

With  a  smile  Columbus  answered: 

"Many  years  since,  I  learned  a  lesson  that  may  be 
of  great  advantage  to  me  now." 

"What  was  it,  admiral?" 

"It  happened  once,  that  King  Reiner  —  whom 
God  hath  taken  to  himself  —  sent  me  to  Tunis 
to  capture  the  galley  Fernandina.  When  I  arrived 
off  the  island  of  St.  Pedro  in  Sardinia  I  was  informed 
there  were  two  ships  and  a  carrack  with  the  galley; 
by  which  intelligence  my  crew  were  so  troubled 
that  they  determined  to  proceed  no  farther,  but  to 
return  to  Marseilles  for  another  vessel  and  more 
men.  As  I  could  not  by  any  means  compel  them, 
I  assented,  apparently,  to  their  wishes,  altering  the 
point  of  the  compass  and  spreading  all  sail.  It 
was  then  evening,  and  next  morning  we  were 
within  the  Cape  of  Carthagenia,  while  all  were 
firmly  of  opinion  that  they  were  sailing  toward 
Marseilles." 

"How  can  that  lesson  help  us  now,  admiral?  " 


164  COLUMBIA 

"It  is  never  wise  for  the  commander  of  a  ship  to 
let  the  crew  know  all,  and  sometimes  it  may  be 
necessary  to  deceive  them." 

"Are  you  now  deceiving  them?  " 

"Yes." 

"In  what  way?" 

"I  knew  their  anxiety  and  terror  were  increasing 
in  proportion  to  their  distance  from  their  native  land, 
and  I  keep  two  reckonings." 

"Two?" 

"Yes,  two;  one  correct,  which  no  one  but  myself 
sees,  in  which  the  true  course  of  the  ship  is  noted; 
in  the  other,  which  is  open  to  general  inspection,  a 
number  of  leagues  is  daily  subtracted  from  the  sailing 
of  the  ship,  so  they  are  in  ignorance  of  our  real  dis 
tance." 

On  the  eleventh  day  of  September,  when  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  west  of  Ferro,  the  look 
out  called  the  attention  of  Columbus  to  something 
floating  on  the  water. 

"What  is  it?  "  asked  the  admiral. 

"A  mast,"  Hernando  answered.  The  boy  was  in 
the  forecastle  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  make  the 
discovery. 

Columbus  signaled  the  other  vessels  to  lay  to. 
Lowering  a  boat,  Hernando  with  six  others  pulled  to 
the  piece  of  floating  mast  and  brought  it  on  ship 
board.  From  its  size,  it  evidently  had  belonged  to  a 
vessel  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  tons  burden, 
and  it  had  lain  in  the  water  until  it  was  almost  rotted. 


THE  MUTINY  165 

The  crews  of  the  exploring  ships,  alive  to  everything 
that  could  excite  hopes  or  fears,  looked  with  rueful 
eyes  upon  this  wreck  of  some  unfortunate  voyager, 
drifting  ominously  at  the  entrance  of  those  unknown 
seas. 

"Do  not  allow  this  to  alarm  you,"  said  Columbus 
to  the  crews,  when  he  saw  that  a  panic  was  likely  to 
spread  among  them.  "This  broken  mast  has  no 
doubt  been  in  the  water  for  years,  and  probably  has 
floated  from  one  of  our  own  ports."  By  alternately 
encouraging  and  threatening  them,  .he  allayed  to  a 
slight  degree  their  dread  of  the  unknown  sea. 

Hernando,  boy  as  he  was,  studied  the  admiral. 
He  was  continually  in  his  confidence,  knew  many  of 
his  secrets,  and  soon  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  the 
admiral  was  becoming  more  perplexed  and  puz 
zled  as  they  advanced  farther  into  this  unknown 
region.  The  very  heavens  were  changing.  The  con 
stellations  of  the  east  were  disappearing  and  strangers 
taking  their  places. 

On  the  evening  of  September  the  13th,  Hernando 
chanced  to  go  to  the  admiral's  cabin.  They  had 
advanced  fifty  leagues  farther  into  the  unknown 
world,  and  even  Hernando  had  almost  begun  to  doubt 
that  the  admiral  was  correct  in  his  calculations.  He 
found  the  navigator  seated  at  a  table  with  a  chart 
and  compass  before  him. 

Hernando  was  privileged  to  enter  the  admiral's 
cabin  at  all  hours.  He  spoke  on  entering  but,  re 
ceiving  no  answer,  gently  closed  the  door,  and  took 


166  COLUMBIA 

a  step  toward  the  admiral,  so  as  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
his  face.  Never  had  he  seen  anything  more  terri 
fying.  A  deathlike  pallor  had  overspread  it,  the 
lips  were  parted  as  if  gasping  for  breath,  and  he 
almost  fancied  he  could  hear  throbbing  heart-beats. 
What  was  the  meaning  of  all  this?  Hernando  knew 
that  some  crisis  was  at  hand. 

"Admiral,  admiral,  what  has  happened?"  he  cried. 

"See,  it  varies!"  cried  Columbus,  starting  to  his 
feet;  and  clutching  the  lad's  arm  he  pointed  to  the 
compass.  "It  varies;  it  no  longer  points  to  the  north." 

For  a  moment  the  boy  stood  in  speechless  amaze 
ment.  But  he  was  ignorant  of  the  art  of  navigation, 
and  the  face  of  this  man  on  whose  knowledge  and 
judgment  he  had  staked  his  life  inspired  far  greater 
fear  in  him  than  did  the  shifting  instrument  before 
them. 

"What  made  it  wrong?  "  Hernando  asked. 

For  a  moment  Columbus  did  not  answer.  At  last 
he  said: 

"It  seems  as  if  the  very  laws  of  nature  are  being 
reversed  as  we  advance,  and  that  we  are  entering 
another  world,  subject  to  unknown  influences." 

"Perhaps  the  compass  is  broken." 

"No,  they  are  all  the  same.  I  have  thought  for 
several  days  they  were  varying.  As  we  advance,  they 
no  longer  point  to  the  north,  but  to  the  northwest. 
Day  by  day  for  three  days  I  have  studied  this  won 
derful  phenomenon,  something  the  world  has  never 
known." 


THE  MUTINY  167 

The  boy  grew  frightened,  and,  turning  to  Colum 
bus,  asked: 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?  Must  we  go  back 
and  leave  my  poor  father  in  this  unknown  world?" 

"Would  you  go  back?" 

"No;   not  if  every  law  of  nature  were  reversed." 

"Noble  lad,  neither  would  I.  The  change  of  the 
compass  is  only  a  new  discovery  in  science,  and  can 
be  harmonized  with  navigation,  though  it  will  cause 
us  no  little  trouble  when  our  pilots  discover  it.  I 
must  find  some  excuse  for  the  variation  of  the  needle." 

"Can  it  be  kept  secret?" 

"Impossible.  They  have  the  sailing  of  the  ship, 
and  will  soon  know  it." 

At  this  moment,  a  form  was  crouching  at  the 
door  of  the  cabin,  a  pair  of  dark,  piercing  eyes  were 
glittering  with  fiendish  satisfaction.  Under  his 
breath  Miguel  the  spy  hissed: 

"Something  has  gone  wrong.  What  is  it?  I 
wish  I  could  catch  the  words." 

Then  hearing  footsteps  he  sped  away  into  the 
darkness. 

Columbus  was  not  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  pilots. 
They  were  quick  to  perceive  the  variation,  and  a  little 
later  three  of  them  came  to  the  admiral.  Sancho 
Ruiz  was  spokesman. 

"Lord  admiral,"  he  said,  "we  have  made  a  very 
wonderful,  if  not  alarming,  discovery." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Columbus. 

"The  laws  of  nature  are  changing  as  we  enter 


168  COLUMBIA 

another  world,  and  come  under  unknown  influ 
ences." 

"Make  your  meaning  more  plain,  Ruiz." 

"The  compass  is  about  to  lose  its  power,  and 
without  it  we  have  no  guide  in  the  vast,  trackless 
ocean.  It  no  longer  points  directly  north,  but  is 
varying  northwest." 

Columbus  taxed  his  ingenuity  to  the  utmost  for 
explanations  to  allay  their  terror.  He  allowed  no 
outward  demonstration  to  indicate  that  he  was  not 
master  of  the  situation.  With  entire  composure,  he 
answered : 

"What  you  say  is  true,  Senor  Ruiz,  but  if  you 
will  examine  the  matter  closely  it  becomes  very 
simple.  The  direction  of  the  needle  is  not  to  the 
polar  star,  but  to  some  fixed  and  invisible  point. 
These  variations  which  we  have  discovered  are  not 
caused  by  any  fallacy  in  the  compass,  but  by  the 
movement  of  the  north  star  itself,  which,  like  other 
heavenly  bodies,  has  changed  its  revolutions,  and 
every  day  describes  a  circle  round  the  pole." 

The  pilots  beheld  in  Columbus  a  profound  astron 
omer,  and  his  theory  was  accepted  as  correct.  On 
the  next  day,  the  14th  of  September,  Hernando  was 
standing  on  the  deck  of  the  Santa  Maria,  when  he 
suddenly  saw  two  large  birds,  and  running  aft  to 
Columbus,  he  called: 

"Admiral,  here  is  a  good  omen  —  birds  flying!  " 

"Birds!  a  harbinger  of  land!  Where  are  they?" 
cried  Columbus,  going  forward. 


THE  MUTINY  169 

"There!"  answered  several  sailors,  pointing  to 
the  birds  within  bow-shot  of  the  vessel's  prow. 

"A  heron  and  a  Rabo  de  Jun.co,"  cried  Columbus. 
"These  are  fowls  which  never  venture  far  from  land. 
Our  voyage  will  soon  be  over." 

All  the  afternoon  the  two  birds  hovered  about  the 
ships,  but  disappeared  at  sundown.  Those  tropical 
nights  were  delightfully  cool,  but  dark.  The  sky 
was  a  stranger  to  the  voyagers,  and  they  seemed  glid 
ing  on  into  a  vast  unknown  world  of  water. 

"Santa  Maria!     Look!"  cried  a  sailor. 

"Saints  preserve  us!"  groaned  scores  of  voices. 

The  whole  sky  was  lit  with  a  lurid  glare.  A  great 
flame  of  fire  seemed  to  fall  from  the  dark  heavens 
into  the  sea,  about  four  or  five  leagues  distant. 

It  was  a  meteor,  a  common  phenomenon  in  warm 
climates,  and  especially  in  the  tropics.  They  are 
always  observed  in  the  serene  blue  sky,  falling  as  it 
were  from  the  heavens,  but  never  beneath  a  cloud. 
In  the  transparent  atmosphere  of  one  of  those  beauti 
ful  nights,  when  every  star  shines  with  the  purest 
lustre,  they  often  leave  a  luminous  train  behind, 
lasting  twelve  or  fifteen  seconds,  and  might  easily 
be  mistaken  for  a  flame.  The  boldest  sailors  were 
on  their  knees,  believing  they  were  entering  a  sea  of 
fire  and  that  the  ships  would  soon  be  consumed. 
Again  Columbus  was  put  to  his  best  to  explain  all 
he  knew  of  meteors,  and  it  took  some  time  to  restore 
even  partial  confidence  to  his  men. 

With   favorable   winds   and   occasional   showers, 


170  COLUMBIA 

they  had  made  considerable  progress,  though,  ac 
cording  to  the  secret  plan  of  Columbus,  he  managed 
to  suppress  several  leagues  in  the  daily  reckoning, 
to  which  the  crew  had  access. 

Coming  within  the  influence  of  the  trade  winds, 
they  were  wafted  speedily  over  a  tranquil  sea  and 
for  several  days  they  did  not  shift  a  sail.  All 
were  amazed  and  delighted  with  the  bland  and  tem 
perate  weather,  so  soft  and  cool  and  soothing.  The 
entire  day  was  like  an  Andalusian  April  morn,  and 
wanted  but  the  song  of  the  nightingale  to  complete 
the  illusion. 

They  now  came  to  a  part  of  the  sea  where  large 
patches  of  herbs  were  found  drifting  from  the  west, 
and  these  increased  in  abundance  as  they  advanced. 
Some  were  of  the  kinds  that  grow  about  rocks; 
others  such  as  are  produced  in  fresh  water  streams. 
While  some  were  yellow  and  withered,  many  were 
green  and  fresh  as  if  they  had  just  been  washed  from 
land.  One  day,  a  white  tropical  bird,  such  as  never 
sleeps  on  the  sea,  was  discovered;  tunny  fish,  also, 
were  seen  playing  about  the  vessels. 

Filled  with  joy  and  hope,  Columbus  gathered  the 
crew  of  his  vessel  in  the  forecastle,  and  thus  addressed 
them 

"My  brave  men,  you  need  no  longer  despair,  for 
we  are,  without  doubt,  nearing  land.  There  is  an 
account  given  by  Aristotle  of  certain  ships  of  Cadiz, 
which,  coasting  the  shores  outside  the  straits  of 
Gibraltar,  were  driven  westward  by  an  impetuous 


THE  MUTINY  171 

east  wind,  until  they  reached  a  part  of  the  ocean 
covered  with  weeds,  resembling  sunken  islands,  and 
in  the  waters  they  found  many  tunny  fish,  as  we 
see  them.  All  these  things  indicate  that  we  are 
certainly  not  far  from  land." 

Next  day  two  boobies,  birds  which  seldom  fly 
more  than  twenty  leagues  from  land,  were  sighted. 
This  further  added  to  their  hopes  and  encourage 
ment. 

The  weeds  continued  to  increase,  and  Miguel, 
ever  watchful  for  an  opportunity  to  breed  discontent 
among  the  sailors,  suggested  that  the  weeds  might 
continue  to  grow  thicker  on  the  surface  of  the  water, 
until  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  ships  to  force 
their  way  through.  The  wind  was  gentle  at  all 
times,  and  for  hours  there  would  be  absolute  calm. 

"You  have  all  heard  how  ships  have  been  frozen 
up  in  the  northern  seas,  unable  to  move,"  argued 
Miguel  to  a  party  of  willing  listeners.  "That  will 
be  our  fate.  The  wind  is  constantly  falling  off,  and 
we  shall  soon  be  unable  to  stir." 

Hernando,  who  had  become  a  self-constituted 
spy  upon  Miguel,  hastened  to  Columbus.  The 
admiral  listened  with  an  attentive  ear,  and,  when  the 
lad  had  finished,  said,  in  his  grave,  solemn  manner: 

"The  fellow  is  mischievous,  Hernando;  watcJi 
him,  and  I  will  go  at  once  and  pacify  the  crew." 

When  Columbus  reached  the  deck,  he  found 
terror  and  desperation  about  to  seize  the  sailors. 

"Why    are    you    alarmed?"  he    asked.     "These 


172  COLUMBIA 

weeds  and  this  calm  are,  beyond  a  doubt,  caused  by 
our  near  approach  to  land." 

Notwithstanding  the  assurances  of  the  admiral, 
the  crews  were  not  satisfied,  and  the  mischievous 
Miguel  was  constantly  fomenting  discontent.  The 
more  Columbus  argued,  the  more  boisterous  be 
came  the  murmurs  of  his  crew,  until,  on  Sunday, 
the  25th  of  September,  there  came  a  heavy  swell 
of  the  sea,  unaccompanied  by  wind  —  a  phenom 
enon  which  often  occurs  in  the  broad  ocean  — 
being  either  the  expiring  undulations  of  some  past 
gale  or  the  movements  given  the  sea  by  some  dis 
tant  current  of  wind.  It  was  nevertheless  regarded 
with  astonishment  by  the  mariners,  and  for  a  short 
time  dispelled  their  imaginary  terrors,  occasioned  by 
the  calm. 

From  this  time  on,  the  situation  became  daily 
more  critical.  The  favorable  signs,  which  increased 
the  admiral's  confidence  in  the  belief  that  they  were 
nearing  land,  were  derided  by  Miguel  and  those 
craven  spirits  whom  he  had  gathered  about  him,  so 
that  Columbus  began  to  fear  they  would  yet  compel 
him  to  turn  back. 

It  was  night  —  one  of  those  strange,  still  nights, 
such  as  no  one  aboard  the  squadron  had  ever  seen 
before.  The  sky  was  full  of  strangers;  the  sea, 
of  weeds  and  grass.  The  admiral  was  alone  in  his 
cabin,  filled  with  anxiety,  when  Hernando  entered. 

"I  am  glad  you  have  come,  Hernando,  for  we  have 
reached  a  crisis,"  said  Columbus. 


THE  MUTINY  173 

"What  do  you  mean,  admiral?" 

"All  day  long  I  have  watched  them,  gathered 
about  in  little  knots  and  groups;  they  have  fed 
each  other's  discontents,  until  now  the  storm  is  ready 
to  break." 

The  admiral  was  in  armor,  and  his  sword  lay  on  the 
table  at  his  side.  The  boy  regarded  these  signs  as 
ominous,  and  asked: 

"What  would  you  have  me  do?  " 

"You  are  a  brave  lad,  and  I  can  trust  you.  Go, 
arm  yourself,  and  be  ready  for  any  emergency.  Then, 
putting  on  your  cloak  so  as  to  conceal  your  armor, 
go  forth  on  deck,  learn  what  they  are  doing,  get  their 
plans,  and  return." 

"I  will." 

The  lad  bowed  and  retired. 

"If  my  brother,  and  a  handful  more  that  I  could 
trust  as  I  do  that  boy,  were  on  board,  I  should  feel 
safe.  Though  some  of  the  crew  seem  faithful,  at 
times  I  mistrust  all." 

While  the  admiral  was  thus  moodily  and  almost 
despairingly  meditating  on  his  present  perilous  condi 
tion  and  the  mutinous  disposition  of  the  crew,  there 
came  a  sharp  rap  on  the  door  of  his  cabin. 

"Come  in,"  he  called. 

The  door  opened,  and  Ruiz  the  pilot,  followed  by 
half  a  dozen,  entered. 

"Lord  admiral,"  said  Ruiz,  "the  crew  are  about 
to  mutiny,  being  determined  to  make  us  turn  back." 

"Never!"    said   Columbus.     "No,    though  these 


174  COLUMBIA 

decks  swim  with  blood,  we  will  prosecute  our  voyage 
to  the  end." 

In  the  meanwhile  the  little  spy  was  cautiously 
creeping  along  the  dark  deck  to  where  the  crew  were 
gathered  in  a  knot  at  the  forecastle,  with  Miguel 
haranguing  them.  Slowly  and  cautiously,  on  bended 
knees,  without  noise,  and  with  the  motions  of  a  creep 
ing  cat,  Hernando  glided  nearer  to  the  mutineers. 
Reaching  a  gun-carriage  unobserved,  he  crouched 
down  in  the  darkness  behind  it  and  listened. 

Unaware  of  his  presence,  Miguel  continued. 
With  zeal  and  eloquence  he  was  saying: 

"This  man  is  a  desperado,  bent  in  his  mad  fantasy 
upon  doing  something  extravagantly  notorious. 
What  are  our  sufferings  and  dangers  to  one  content  to 
lose  his  own  life  for  the  chance  of  fame  and  distinction  ? 
What  obligations  bind  us  to  continue  with  him  ?  And 
when,  pray,  will  the  terms  of  our  contract  be  fulfilled  ? 
We  have  already  penetrated  unknown  seas  untrav- 
ersed  by  a  ship,  far  beyond  man's  usual  sailing. 
You  have  already  won  names  for  courage  and  hardi 
hood  in  undertaking  such  an  enterprise  and  persist 
ing  in  it,  and  how  much  farther  are  we  to  go  in  quest 
of  merely  conjectured  land?  Are  we  to  sail  until  we 
perish,  or  until  return  becomes  impossible?  If  we 
do,  we  shall  be  the  authors  of  our  own  destruction.  If 
we  consult  our  safety  and  turn  back  before  it  is  too 
late,  who  can  blame  us?  Complaints  made  by 
Columbus  will  have  no  weight,  for  he  is  a  foreigner, 
without  friends  or  influence,  and  his  schemes  have 


THE  MUTINY  175 

been  condemned  by  the  most  learned  men  in  Spain. 
He  has  no  party  to  uphold  him,  and  a  host  of 
opponents  who  would  rejoice  at  his  failure.  If 
you  fear  his  complaints,  we  might  seize  him  and 
cast  him  into  the  sea,  giving  out  that  he  had  acci 
dentally  fallen  overboard." 

"Seize  him,"  interrupted  one. 

"Yes,  seize  the  admiral  and  cast  him  overboard," 
cried  another. 

"Let  us  strike  at  once." 

"At  once,  at  once,"  and  a  dozen  daggers  and 
swords  flashed  in  the  starlight.  The  mutineers  rose 
and  moved  toward  the  cabin. 

Swift  as  a  flash  the  lad  glided  along  the  deck  of 
the  vessel  and  darted  through  the  cabin  door. 

There  stood  the  admiral,  sword  in  hand,  the  pilot, 
and  five  others,  all  with  weapons  drawn. 

"Lord  admiral,  they  are  coming  —  the  mutineers 
are  coming! "  cried  the  lad,  his  eyes  flashing  with 
excitement. 

"Come,  we  will  meet  them  on  deck! "  cried  Colum 
bus,  and  with  drawn  sword  he  led  out  his  handful  of 
faithful  followers. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

LIGHTS   ALONG   THE   SHORE. 

INSTEAD  of  finding  Columbus  unprepared,  as  they 
had  confidently  anticipated,  the  mutineers  were 
themselves  surprised.  They  had  expected  to  find 
the  admiral  alone  in  the  cabin;  instead,  he  met  them, 
sword  in  hand,  on  the  quarter-deck,  with  a  half- 
dozen  brave  men,  well  armed,  close  behind  him. 
The  ship's  lanterns  were  deceitful  and  did  not  reveal 
the  real  number  of  Columbus's  followers. 

"There  they  are,  admiral,"  cried  the  lad,  pointing 
out  the  mutineers  with  his  sword. 

"Knaves!  villains!  "  cried  the  admiral.  "Would 
you  disobey  the  good  queen's  commands,  leave 
wonderful  discoveries  to  others,  and  bring  certain 
destruction  upon  yourselves?"  and  he  advanced 
threateningly  toward  them. 

The  mutineers,  dismayed  at  having  their  secret 
plans  discovered,  made  scarcely  any  resistance; 
and  throwing  down  their  weapons,  all,  save  Miguel, 
fled  to  the  forward  part  of  the  ship,  where  they 
dropped  on  their  knees,  implored  mercy,  and  swore 
future  obedience  to  all  orders.  Miguel  would  have 
followed  their  inglorious  example  had  not  the  admiral 
disarmed  him  and  held  him  fast. 
176 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  ffl 

"Oh,  pray,  my  lord,  spare  me!"  he  cried,  strug 
gling  desperately  to  break  away. 

"Cease,  villain;  cease  your  struggling,  or  I  will 
run  you  through,"  cried  Columbus. 

But  the  trembling  wretch  continued  to  implore 
the  admiral  to  spare  his  life. 

"Have  mercy  —  oh,  have  mercy!"  he  groaned. 

"Know  you  not  the  fate  of  traitors  and  muti 
neers?  " 

"Oh,  pray,  have  mercy!  " 

"Do  you  deserve  it?  " 

"Mercy,  mercy!" 

"The  law  put  your  life  in  my  power,  and  you  have 
forfeited  all  claims  to  mercy." 

"Spare  me,  spare  me!  " 

Hernando  was  too  kind-hearted  not  to  be  moved 
by  those  pleadings  and  tears. 

"Spare  him,  I  pray  you,  my  lord,"  he  began. 

"Do  you  ask  that  he  be  spared?" 

"Surely  he  can  do  us  no  harm  if  he  be  kept  con 
fined  in  the  hold  and  in  chains." 

The  admiral  had  a  tender  heart,  but  sound  judg 
ment  told  him  that  in  this  case  it  was  best  to  assume 
harshness.  Fear  is  the  iron  hand  with  which  to  con 
trol  such  incorrigible  characters  as  Miguel.  Drag 
ging  the  mutineer  to  his  feet,  he  gave  him  over  to 
the  officers  and  said: 

"Take  him  below,  load  him  down  with  irons,  and 
see  that  he  communicates  with  no  one.  His  fate 
shall  be  determined  hereafter." 

Vol.  1—12 


178  COLUMBIA 

A  groan  went  up  from  the  prisoner.  He  knew  full 
well  that  by  maritime  law,  he  had  forfeited  his  life. 

Ruiz  and  one  or  two  more  seized  the  culprit  and 
dragged  him  from  the  deck.  He  begged  and  im 
plored  for  life,  but  was  unceremoniously  taken 
down  into  the  hold  of  the  ship  and  there  made  fast. 
Columbus  put  up  his  sword  and  walked  boldly  for 
ward,  where  the  remainder  of  his  crew  were  gathered 
in  the  forecastle,  trembling  with  dread  apprehension 
at  the  admiral's  dire  wrath. 

"Oh,  mercy,  mercy!"  the  most  timid  began. 

Having  witnessed  the  treatment  of  their  ring 
leader,  they  entertained  little  hope  of  escaping  pun 
ishment. 

"Mercy!"  said  the  admiral,  sternly.  "Do  you 
deserve  mercy?" 

"Mercy,  mercy!" 

"Down  on  your  knees,  all  of  you,  and  swear  never 
again  to  attempt  mutiny." 

All  fell  on  their  knees,  and  swore  anew  allegiance 
to  the  admiral.  Columbus  then  ordered  them  to 
return  to  their  duties. 

"Bear  in  mind,"  he  added  sternly,  as  the  sailors 
began  to  disperse,  "the  first  man  who  makes  another 
attempt  at  mutiny  dies." 

Harshness  was  not  natural  with  Columbus  and 
it  was  only  toward  the  most  desperate  that  he  con 
tinued  to  exercise  it.  He  meted  out  to  each  such  in 
ducements  as  were  necessary  to  create  loyalty  in  him, 
or  strengthen  it.  Maintaining  a  serene  and  steady 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  179 

countenance,  soothing  some  with  gentle  words,  en 
deavoring  to  stimulate  the  pride  and  avarice  of 
others,  and  openly  menacing  the  refractory  with 
signal  punishment  should  they  do  more  to  impede 
the  voyage,  he  again  became  master  of  the  ship. 

Hernando,  who  had  ever  been  faithful  to  the 
admiral,  even  at  the  imminent  risk  of  losing  his  life, 
was  now  even  more  than  ever  in  his  confidence. 

He  begged  that  Miguel  be  spared. 

"By  law  he  has  forfeited  his  life,"  Columbus  an 
swered. 

"Is  not  mercy  due  even  where  life  is  forfeited?  " 

"Not  when  it  jeopardizes  other  lives,"  said  the 
admiral.  "If  I  spare  this  man,  as  you  would  have 
me  do,  what  assurance  have  I  that  he  will  not  again 
incite  the  crew  to  mutiny?" 

"His  oath,  my  lord." 

"His  oath  is  of  no  more  strength  than  a  rope  of 
sand." 

"Will  you  not  try  him?" 

"Try  him?  It  would  be  criminal  now  to  give 
that  man  his  liberty.  The  morality  and  lives  of  the 
crew,  as  well  as  the  success  of  our  enterprise,  depend 
on  his  being  kept  in  chains." 

"But  you  will  not  put  him  to  death?  " 

"Neither  he  nor  his  late  companions  in  the  mu 
tiny  must  think  otherwise.  You  need  rest;  go  to 
your  bunk  and  take  what  sleep  you  can  get." 

"Admiral,  you  are  in  need  of  rest  yourself.  You 
have  scarcely  slept  for  weeks." 


180  COLUMBIA 

"Nor  will  I  sleep,  save  enough  to  preserve  life 
and  reason,  until  we  have  sighted  the  shores  of  this 
new  world.  Get  to  your  berth,  and  do  not  disturb 
your  mind  with  thoughts  of  the  wicked.  They 
bring  their  own  misery  on  themselves." 

Next  day  the  wind  again  became  favorable,  and 
they  were  enabled  to  resume  their  course  directly 
westward.  The  breezes  being  light  and  the  sea 
calm,  the  vessels  sailed  so  near  to  each  other  that 
Columbus  and  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  stood  on 
their  own  decks,  and  conversed  with  each  other  for 
hours. 

"Have  you  quelled  the  mutiny?"  asked  Pinzon. 

"Effectually." 

"I  don't  see  the  chief  hanging  at  your  yard-arms." 

"I  am  menacing  others  with  his  fate.  If  the 
crews  continue  faithful,  I  may  even  give  them  their 
liberties  on  reaching  land." 

The  idea  of  mercy  to  the  mutineers  was  repug 
nant  to  Pinzon,  who  believed  in  dealing  out  only  the 
sternest  justice. 

"Have  you  examined  the  chart  I  sent  you  three 
days  ago?"  asked  Columbus. 

"I  have." 

"Where  do  you  think  we  are? " 

"According  to  the  indications,  we  must  be  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  island  of  Cipango,  and  the  other 
islands  which  you  have  marked  on  the  map." 

"I  believe  so,  too,  but  it  is  possible  that  the  ships 
have  been  borne  out  of  their  track  by  the  prevail- 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  181 

ing  currents,  or  we  may  not  have  come  so  far  as  the 
pilots  have  reckoned." 

Columbus  was  shrewd  enough  to  provide  against 
possible  disappointment.  It  might  be  fatal  to  his 
plans  to  set  a  time  or  distance  too  accurately  for 
reaching  the  mystic  shore,  the  whereabouts  of  which 
he  was  shrewdly  guessing. 

"  There  may  be  a  mistake,"  said  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon,  "and  yet  I  feel  confident  we  are  nearing 
land." 

"Everything  goes  to  prove  it.  Have  you  finished 
with  the  chart?" 

"Yes,  for  the  present." 

"Please  toss  it  to  the  deck  of  my  ship." 

They  were  sailing  so  close  together  that  Martin 
Pinzon  tied  a  cord  to  the  chart  and  flung  it  on  board 
the  Santa  Maria.  It  fell  at  the  feet  of  Columbus, 
who  picked  it  up  and  spread  it  out  before  him.  Ruiz 
and  Hernando  were  at  the  side  of  the  admiral,  and 
several  sailors  were  near,  all  eager  to  know  something 
of  their  locality. 

Suddenly  a  wild  shout  rang  out  from  the  deck  of 
the  Pinta. 

"What  is  that?"  cried  Columbus. 

"See,  see!  "  shouted  Hernando,  pointing  to  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon,  who  was  standing  on  the  high  poop- 
deck  at  the  stern  of  his  vessel,  looking  off  to  the 
southwest. 

"Land,  land!"  cried  Pinzon,  at  the  top  of  his 
voice. 


182  COLUMBIA 

The  keen  eyes  of  Columbus  followed  the  direction 
indicated  by  Pinzon's  finger,  and  he  saw,  about 
twenty-five  leagues  away,  what  indeed  had  the  ap 
pearance  of  land.  The  admiral  threw  himself  on  his 
knees  and  returned  thanks  to  God,  all  his  crew  fol 
lowing  his  example,  and  the  wildest  rejoicing  followed. 
On  board  the  Pinta,  a  scene  of  equal  excitement  and 
a  ceremony  fully  as  impressive  had  begun.  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  repeated  the  Gloria  in  excelsis,  in 
which  he  was  joined  by  the  crews  of  all  three  vessels. 

The  seamen  now  mounted  to  the  masthead  or 
climbed  about  the  rigging,  straining  their  eyes  in  the 
direction  pointed  out.  The  conviction  of  land  in 
that  quarter  became  so  general,  and  the  joy  of  the 
people  so  ungovernable,  that  Columbus  found  it 
necessary  to  vary  from  his  usual  course,  and  stand 
all  night  to  the  southwest.  The  morning  light,  how 
ever,  put  an  end  to  all  their  hopes,  as  to  a  dream. 
The  fancied  land  proved  to  be  nothing  but  an  even 
ing  cloud,  which  vanished  during  the  night.  With 
dejected  hearts  they  once  more  resumed  their  west 
ern  course,  from  which  Columbus  would  never  have 
varied  but  in  compliance  with  the  clamorous  wishes 
of  his  crew. 

"I  will  change  no  more,"  he  said.  "  For  several 
hours  we  have  followed  a  chimera;  henceforth  we 
shall  steer  by  our  original  course." 

For  several  days  they  continued,  with  the  same 
propitious  breeze,  tranquil  sea,  and  mild,  soothing 
weather.  The  water  was  so  calm  that  the  sailors 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  183 

amused  themselves  by  swimming  about  the  vessel. 
Dolphins  began  to  abound,  and  flying  fish  darting 
into  the  air,  fell  upon  the  decks.  The  continued 
signs  of  land  diverted  the  attention  of  the  crews  and 
insensibly  lured  them  onward. 

A  reckoning  was  made  on  October  1st,  which, 
according  to  figures  furnished  the  pilots,  was  five 
hundred  and  eight-four  leagues  from  the  Canary 
Islands,  but  the  true  reckoning  was  seven  hundred 
and  seven.  On  the  2d  of  October,  discouraging  signs 
appeared,  the  weeds  were  seen  floating  from  the  east 
to  the  west,  and  on  the  third  day  no  birds  were 
sighted. 

At  noonday  Martin  Pinzon  hailed  the  admiral's 
ship,  and  desired  to  come  on  board  for  consultation. 

"Come!"  Columbus  answered,  though  he  seemed 
to  know  what  the  proposed  consultation  portended. 

When  Pinzon  was  aboard  the  admiral's  vessel 
he  said: 

"I  fear,  my  lord  admiral,  we  have  passed  between 
islands,  from  one  to  the  other  of  which  the  birds  have 
been  flying." 

"Such  are  the  indications."  Columbus  answered. 

"Would  it  not  be  well  to  change  our  course,  and 
steer  farther  south?  " 

"No;  our  charts  and  maps  all  indicate  that 
Cipango,  Maguay,  and  St.  Borodon  lie  westward." 

"The  crews  are  beginning  to  murmur  again." 

"I  am  sorry,  as  it  will  compel  me  to  resort  to  a 
stricter  discipline  than  I  had  intended.  I  have  one 


184  COLUMBIA 

of  their  number  now  in  irons,  and  it  may  be  necessary 
to  place  others  there,  or  even  resort  to  hanging  the 
leaders,  rather  than  ruin  the  expedition." 

Next  day  there  was  a  decided  change,  and  the 
hopes  of  all  rose  once  more.  They  were  visited  by 
such  flights  of  birds  and  the  various  indications  of 
land  became  so  numerous,  that  from  a  state  of  de 
spondency  they  passed  into  one  of  confident  expecta 
tion.  The  sailors,  eager  to  obtain  the  promised  prize, 
were  continually  giving  the  cry  of  land  on  the  least 
appearance  of  anything  resembling  an  island. 

Realizing  the  demoralizing  effects  of  raising  false 
hopes,  Columbus  declared  that  should  any  one  give 
such  notice,  and  land  not  be  discovered  within  three 
days  afterward,  he  should  henceforth  forfeit  all  claim 
to  the  reward. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  October,  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  again  came  on  board,  and  notified 
Columbus  that  he  was  losing  confidence  in  their 
present  course.  He  urged  the  admiral  to  change  it, 
but  Columbus  refused  and  issued  an  order,  that 
should  the  ships  become  separated,  each  was  to  stand 
due  west  and  endeavor  as  soon  as  possible  to  join  the 
company  again.  He  also  directed  that  the  vessels 
should  keep  near  him  at  sunrise  and  sunset,  since 
at  those  periods  the  atmosphere  was  most  favorable 
to  the  discovery  of  distant  land. 

On  the  7th  of  October,  several  of  the  admiral's 
crew  thought  they  saw  land  to  westward,  but  none 
ventured  to  proclaim  it  for  fear  of  losing  the  reward. 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  185 

"The  Nina  sees  it,"  Hernando  whispered  to  the 
admiral.  "Look  how  she  presses  forward.  Santa 
Maria,  what  a  sailor  she  is! " 

The  boy  and  the  admiral  stood  side  by  side,  the 
former  in  breathless  excitement,  the  latter  calm  and 
unmoved,  watching  the  ship. 

"See,  see!"  cried  Hernando,  clapping  his  hands 
with  joy.  "She  hoists  a  flag  at  her  masthead,  and 
there  goes  a  gun." 

The  boom  of  one  of  the  ship's  cannon  at  this 
moment  rang  out  over  the  sea.  New  joy  was  awak 
ened  throughout  the  little  squadron  and  every  eye 
was  turned  to  the  west.  As  they  advanced,  how 
ever,  their  cloud-built  hopes  faded  away,  and  be 
fore  evening  the  fancied  land  had  again  melted 
into  air. 

Again  dejection  settled  on  the  crew,  and  it  required 
all  the  skill  of  Columbus  to  rouse  them. 

"Look  at  the  great  flights  of  birds  going  south 
west,"  he  said.  "They  must  be  certain  of  some 
neighboring  land,  where  they  will  find  food  and  a 
resting-place.  The  Portuguese  attach  great  impor 
tance  to  the  flight  of  birds;  for  by  following  them 
they  have  made  most  of  their  discoveries." 

Columbus  had  now  come  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
leagues,  the  distance  at  which  he  had  expected  to  find 
the  island  of  Cipango;  but  as  there  was  no  appear 
ance  of  it,  he  concluded  he  must  have  missed  it 
through  some  mistake  in  the  latitude.  On  the  7th  of 
October,  he  hailed  the  Pinta,  and  asked  her  captain 


186  COLUMBIA 

to  come  aboard  the  Santa  Maria.  When  he  came 
Columbus  said: 

"I  have  been  thinking,  Pinzon,  that  we  might  have 
passed  the  island  of  Cipango,  and,  as  all  the  birds 
seem  flying  west-southwest,  we  had  better  alter  our 
course  to  that  point,  for  two  or  three  days  at  least."* 

"I  am  in  accord  with  you,  admiral;  it  will  not  be 
much  of  a  deviation,  in  any  event,"  returned  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon. 

"I  shall  give  immediate  orders  for  the  whole 
squadron  to  sail  for  three  days  in  the  new  course 
which  I  have  laid  down." 

During  the  three  days  in  which  the  squadron 
stood  in  the  new  course,  the  flights  of  birds  increased 
as  they  advanced. 

But,  as  land  was  not  reached,  the  crew  came  to 
regard  all  this  as  a  mere  delusion,  beguiling  them 
on  to  destruction;  and  when,  on  the  evening  of  the 
third  day,  they  saw  the  sun  go  down  on  a  shoreless 
ocean,  they  broke  forth  into  a  turbulent  clamor. 
They  exclaimed  against  this  obstinacy,  as  they 
termed  it,  in  continuing  a  voyage  into  a  boundless 
ocean,  and  insisted  on  abandoning  it  as  hopeless  and 
foolish.  The  seeds  of  dissension  sown  by  Miguel  had 
taken  firm  root,  and  though  the  chief  mutineer  was 
in  chains  below,  his  plans  flourished  after  him. 

*  This  determination  to  change  his  course  to  west-south 
west,  a  course  always  favored  by  the  Pinzons,  doubtless  gave 
rise  to  the  absurdly  untrue  story,  that  Columbus  had  prom 
ised  the  mutineers,  if  no  land  were  discovered  in  three  days, 
he  would  return  to  Spain. 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  187 

Columbus  tried  to  pacify  them  by  gentle  words  and 
promise  of  large  rewards,  but  finding  their  discontent 
increasing,  he  once  more  assumed  a  decided  tone. 
Calling  Hernando,  Roderigo  de  Escobar,  Diego  de 
Arana,  Roderigo  Sanchez,  and  all  the  officers  and 
gentry  of  the  king's  household  about  him,  he  bade 
them  again  don  their  swords  and  bucklers;  and  once 
more  he  faced  the  mutineers. 

Stern  determination  marked  every  line  of  the 
admiral's  features,  and  advancing  on  the  mob,  which, 
sullen  and  almost  defiant,  had  fallen  back  to  the 
forecastle,  he  cried: 

"I  have  come  to  crush  out  this  mutiny  forever. 
It  is  useless  for  you  to  resist.  The  expedition  has 
been  sent  out  by  your  sovereigns  to  seek  the  Indies; 
and  happen  what  may,  I  am  determined  to  perse 
vere,  until  by  the  blessing  of  God  I  shall  accom 
plish  the  enterprise." 

For  the  time  being  Columbus  and  the  officers 
over-awed  the  mutineers,  but  from  day  to  day  they 
continued  to  murmur,  and  gradually  grew  more  bold. 
Fortunately,  the  manifestations  of  land  on  the  follow 
ing  day  no  longer  admitted  of  doubt.  At  early  morn 
Hernando  was  in  the  forecastle,  and  called  the  admi 
ral's  attention  to  the  increased  quantity  of  seaweeds. 

"I  observed  them,  but  we  have  had  floating 
weeds  for  days." 

"There's  something  we've  not  had,"  cried  the 
boy,  pointing  to  an  object  in  the  water  near  the 
prow  of  the  vessel. 


188  COLUMBIA 

"What,  my  lad?" 

"There  is  a  green  fish  —  such  as  keeps  about  the 
rocks." 

"True,  true  —  you  are  quite  right;  I  see  it  now 
myself.  That  is  certainly  a  good  omen." 

"And  there  —  look,  what  is  that?"  the  boy 
shouted  in  a  burst  of  joy. 

"What  — where?" 

"A  bush — a  floating  bush!" 

"I  see  it,"  cried  the  admiral,  almost  as  much 
elated  as  the  lad.  "Lower  a  boat." 

"Let  me  go  and  get  it?"  cried  Hernando. 

"You  shall." 

Consequently,  when  the  boat  was  lowered,  Her 
nando  took  his  place  in  the  bow.  Six  sturdy  sailors 
seized  the  oars  and  the  boat  glided  through  the 
waters  to  the  green  object,  which  was  a  branch  of 
thorn-bush  bearing  some  red  berries.  Hernando 
seized  it  with  a  shout  of  joy.  As  the  boat  rowed 
back  to  the  ship,  he  plucked  off  one  of  the  berries, 
saying: 

"I  will  be  first  to  eat  the  fruit  of  the  new  world." 

The  berry  was  tart,  but  palatable,  and  of  a  species 
unknown  to  Columbus.  The  admiral  next  tasted  of 
the  berries,  and  sent  a  few  to  the  Pinzons.  The  same 
day  they  picked  up  a  reed,  a  small  board,  and  a  staff 
artificially  carved.  All  rebellious  gloom  now  gave 
way  to  sanguine  expectation;  and  throughout  the 
day  each  one  was  eagerly  on  the  watch,  in  the  hope 
of  being  first  to  discover  the  long-sought  land. 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  189 

At  sunset  a  sailor,  approaching  Columbus,  saluted 
him  meekly  and  said : 

"My  lord  admiral,  I  come  from  the  prisoner 
Miguel,  who  has  grown  sick  with  confinement  and 
implores  his  liberty." 

With  a  stern  countenance,  Columbus  answered: 

"No.  Miguel  has  proven  himself  our  enemy. 
He  has  stirred  up  all  the  discontent  and  been  the 
author  of  much  of  the  misery  we  have  suffered,  and 
such  mischief-makers  cannot  be  granted  liberty 
before  the  promised  land  is  reached." 

"  Will  he  be  given  freedom  then?  " 

"Perhaps." 

"He  prays  that  he  may  be  with  the  great  and 
good  admiral  when  he  lands." 

Columbus  was  unable  to  refuse  so  small  a  request 
and  he  granted  it. 

That  evening  when,  according  to  the  invariable 
custom  on  board  the  admiral's  ship,  the  mariners 
had  sung  the  Salve  Regina,  or  vesper  hymn  to  the 
Virgin,  Columbus  addressed  the  crew  solemnly. 

"Consider  how,  by  his  grace,  God  has  conducted 
us  with  soft  and  favorable  breezes  across  a  tranquil 
ocean,  cheering  our  hopes  with  increasing  signs,  as 
our  fears  augmented,  leading  and  guiding  us  to  the 
promised  land.  Remember  the  orders  I  gave  on 
leaving  the  Canaries,  that  after  sailing  westward 
seven  hundred  leagues,  we  make  no  sail  after  mid 
night.  Present  appearances  authorize  such  a  pre 
caution.  It  is  probable  that  we  shall  make  land 


190  COLUMBIA 

this  very  night,  so  keep  a  vigilant  lookout  from  the 
forecastle,  and  whoever  shall  make  the  discovery 
will  receive  in  addition  to  the  reward,  a  doublet  of 
velvet  from  the  sovereigns." 

The  breeze  had  been  fresh  all  day,  with  more 
sea  than  usual,  and  progress  had  been  considerable. 
At  sunset  they  again  stood  westward  and  ploughed 
the  waves  at  a  rapid  rate,  the  Pinta,  owing  to  her 
superior  sailing,  keeping  ahead.  Great  animation 
prevailed  throughout  the  ships,  and  not  an  eye  was 
closed  for  sleep  that  night. 

As  Columbus  took  his  station  on  the  top  of  the 
castle  (at  this  day  called  cabin),  on  the  high  poop  of 
his  vessel,  Hernando,  who  followed  him,  asked- 

"May  I  stay  at  your  side  tonight? " 

"You  may,  brave  lad.  We  shall  see  the  fruition 
of  all  our  hopes  before  the  dawn  of  day." 

"Will  my  father  be  there?    Will  I  find  him?" 

"  I  hope  to  find  him  and  many  other  brave  sailors 
who  may  have  been  cast  away." 

About  ten  o'clock  at  night  Columbus  thought  he 
beheld  a  light  glimmering  in  the  distance. 

"Hernando,  do    you  see  anything?"  he  asked. 

"Where?" 

"Look  straight  ahead." 

After  a  few  moments'  staring  into  the  intense 
darkness,  the  boy  answered: 

"I  believe  I  see  a  light." 

"Are  you  quite  sure?  " 

"I  —  I  am  not.     Yet  it  glimmers." 


LIGHTS  ALONG  THE  SHORE  191 

At  this  moment  Pedro  Gutierrez,  gentleman  of 
the  king's  bed-chamber,  chanced  to  pass  by  and 
Columbus  hailed  him. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  he  answered. 

"  Do  you  see  a  light  ahead  ?  " 

"  By  the  mass,  I  believe  I  do!  " 

Columbus  was  now  trembling  with  excitement, 
but  determined  to  be  certain  before  he  announced 
land.  He  called  to  Roderigo  Sanchez,  of  Segovia, 
and  made  the  same  inquiry. 

"Come  up  to  the  round-house  and  be  quite  certain 
of  your  answer,"  said  the  admiral;  but  before  he  could 
ascend  the  lights  had  disappeared.  They  saw  them 
once  or  twice  afterward,  in  sudden  and  passing 
gleams,  as  if  they  were  torches  in  the  barks  of  fisher 
men,  rising  and  sinking  on  the  waves,  or  in  the  hand 
of  some  person  on  shore,  borne  up  and  down  as  he 
walked  from  house  to  house. 

So  certain  were  they  that  they  were  approaching 
land,  and  so  eager  to  sight  it  during  the  night,  that 
despite  former  orders  the  vessels  continued  under 
easy  sail  until  two  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Roderigo  de  Triana,  a  sailor  on  board  the  Pinta, 
was  at  the  masthead,  piercing  the  darkness  with 
eyes  long  accustomed  to  the  sea.  Suddenly  his  con 
victions  became  a  certainty,  and  he  gave  the  joyful 
shout  of  discovery.  There  was  no  mistake  now,  and 
from  a  heart  overburdened  with  joy  he  shouted: 

"Land,  land,  land!"* 

*The  reward  was  afterward  adjudged  to  the  admiral,  he 
having  first  seen  the  light  along  the  shore. 


192  COLUMBIA 

The  joyful  cry  was  taken  up  by  all  the  squadron, 
and  cannon  boomed  forth  the  glad  tidings:  "Land, 
land,  land!" 

There  was  no  sleep  that  night:  all  was  given  up 
to  joy  and  thanksgiving.  Not  two  leagues  away  land 
was  to  be  seen  plainly.  Columbus  ordered  the  ves 
sels  to  lay  to  and  wait  for  morning;  and,  as  the 
admiral  paced  the  deck,  his  cheeks  wet  with  tears  of 
joy,  Hernando  pressed  his  hand,  and  asked: 

"Shall  I  see  my  father  on  the  morrow?" 

"God  grant  you  may,  brave  lad  and  faithful  son." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SEARCH   FOR   THE  GRAND    KHAN. 

"GoD  in  heaven  be  glorified!" 

The  thoughts  and  feelings  of  Columbus  from  the 
discovery  of  land  to  the  dawn  of  day  were  tumultuous 
and  intense.  At  last,  despite  every  difficulty  and 
danger,  the  great  object  of  his  life  seemed  within  his 
grasp.  The  mystery  of  the  ocean  was  revealed;  his 
theory,  which  had  been  the  scoff  of  sages,  was  tri 
umphantly  established,  and  he  had  secured  to  himself 
a  glory  durable  as  the  world  itself. 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  feelings  of  so  great 
a  man  in  this  moment  of  triumph,  or  the  conjectures 
which  thronged  his  mind  as  to  the  land  before  him, 
enshrouded  in  darkness.  That  it  was  fruitful  had  been 
evinced  by  the  vegetation  floating  from  the  shores. 
Even  as  he  paced  the  deck  of  his  vessel  he  thought  he 
perceived  a  strange  aromatic  fragrance  from  the  shores 
of  that  mystic  land.  Up  and  down,  up  and  down 
the  deck,  all  night  long  the  admiral  walked,  planning 
and  dreaming  dreams  for  the  future.  Would  the  ris 
ing  sun  throw  its  burning  rays  on  a  thousand  gilded 
towers  and  blazing  minarets  of  some  strange  city,  or 
would  he  find  merely  a  desert  island,  populated  by  a 
Vol.  I—is  193 


194  COLUMBIA 

few  shipwrecked  mariners?  With  eager  impatience 
he  waited  the  dawn  of  day. 

Hernando  moved  restlessly  about  the  ship,  praying 
that  the  morrow  might  prove  auspicious  to  his  dearest 
wish. 

" Father  in  heaven  and  the  saints  be  praised!  Oh, 
grant  that  I  may  find  him  in  this  strange,  new  world! 
Seas,  cease  your  murmurs;  the  captive  shall  be  free." 

The  waves  laving  the  sides  of  the  vessel  seemed 
to  laugh  with  bubbling  joy. 

Would  the  night  never  wear  away?  Every  man 
on  board  the  ships  was  eager  for  the  dawn.  Oh,  for 
one  flash  of  sunlight  to  reveal  to  them  that  strange, 
mysterious  shore!  Never  did  crew  so  long  to  see  the 
daylight  come.  The  moving  lights  which  had  first 
discovered  the  strange  land  to  them  were  convincing 
evidence  that  it  was  the  residence  of  man.  But  who 
were  its  inhabitants?  Were  they  like  those  of  other 
parts  of  the  globe,  or  were  they  some  strange,  mon 
strous  race,  such  as  those  whom  the  people  of  that  day 
were  prone  to  imagine  as  peopling  all  remote  and  un 
known  regions?  Was  the  land  before  them  some  wild 
island  of  the  far  Indian  sea,  or  the  far-famed  Cipango, 
the  object  of  bright  golden  fancies? 

The  night  grew  darker  before  dawn,  and  there 
were  those  among  the  sailors  who  thought,  after  all, 
that  this  was  only  another  vision  that  would  pass 
away  with  the  morning  light. 

The  first  faint  streaks  appearing  in  the  eastern 
horizon  brought  the  sailors  of  every  ship  to  the  sides 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  195 

of  the  vessels,  and  all  eyes  were  strained  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  that  unknown  land. 

"It's  there;  it's  no  cloud  that  the  sunlight  will 
dispel,"  whispered  a  dozen. 

A  sailor  touched  the  admiral's  arm,  and,  gaining 
his  attention,  bowed  and  meekly  said: 

"I  hope  the  admiral  has  not  forgotten  the  unfor 
tunate  Miguel,  who  lies  a  prisoner  below." 

"Go  and  liberate  him,"  was  the  answer. 

"The  admiral  is  very  kind." 

Brighter  and  brighter  grew  the  morning  until  the 
sable  cloak  of  night  faded  to  the  sober  gray  of  twi 
light,  which,  chameleon-like,  was  turning  to  a  rosy 
light.  The  chill  of  early  morn  was  unnoticed  by 
Columbus  or  his  shivering,  sleepless  crew. 

The  liberated  Miguel  climbed  to  the  deck,  and, 
gazing  out  over  the  waters,  saw  the  land  for  which 
the  white-haired  man  and  his  boy  companion  had 
dared  so  much.  Then  and  there,  had  he  possessed  a 
spark  of  manhood  in  his  dark  soul,  he  would  have 
repented.  But  his  small,  cunning  eyes  gleamed  with 
a  new  thought,  and  he  muttered  to  himself: 

"Neither  Columbus  nor  the  lad  shall  be  first  to 
return  with  the  glad  news  of  this  discovery.  The 
laurels  they  would  win  shall  be  snatched  from  them." 

It  was  on  Friday  morning,  the  12th  of  October, 
1492,  that  Columbus  first  saw  the  New  World.  As 
day  dawned,  his  eager  eyes  beheld  before  him  a  level 
island,  several  leagues  in  extent  and  covered  with 
trees,  like  a  far-stretching  orchard.  No  signs  of  cul- 


196  COLUMBIA 

tivation  or  civilization  were  observable,  and  but  for 
the  dark  heads  peeping  out  at  them  from  the  dense 
foliage,  he  would  have  believed  it  uninhabited.  At 
last  a  strange,  wild  people,  entirely  naked,  could  be 
seen  running  from  all  parts  of  the  woods  down  to 
the  seashore. 

"Do  you  see  my  father  among  them?"  the  lad 
asked,  as  Columbus  turned  his  glass  on  the  men  of 
this  strange,  new  land. 

"No,  my  lad;  but  a  slave  would  probably  be  left 
in  the  interior." 

Columbus  brushed  a  tear  from  his  eye  as  he  spoke. 
He  knew  how  fond  the  delusion  had  grown  to  Her- 
nando  and  how  bitter  would  be  his  disappointment. 

The  admiral  made  signal  for  the  ships  to  cast 
anchor  and  the  boats  to  be  manned  and  armed.  It 
was  a  solemn  and  impressive  ceremony:  the  man 
who  had  suffered  and  dared  so  much  was  now  about 
to  take  possession  of  the  new-found  world  in  the  name 
of  Spain.  Columbus,  accompanied  by  several  royal 
officers,  including  the  notary  public,  Hernando  Este- 
van,  the  liberated  Miguel,  who  stealthily  slipped  into 
the  boat  just  as  it  was  pushing  off,  and  a  number  of 
armed  sailors,  set  out  for  shore.  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon  and  his  brother,  Vincent  Yanez,  put  off  in 
their  separate  boats  to  accompany  him,  each  with 
a  banner  of  the  enterprise,  emblazoned  with  a  green 
cross,  having  on  either  side  the  letters  "F"  and  "  Y," 
the  initials  of  the  Castilian  monarchs,  Fernando  and 
Ysabel  (Isabella) ,  surmounted  by  crowns. 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  197 

For  this  imposing  ceremony  Columbus  was  richly 
attired  in  scarlet,  and  carried  the  royal  standard. 

As  he  approached  the  shore,  the  explorers  were 
delighted  with  the  purity  and  suavity  of  the  atmos 
phere,  the  crystal  transparency  of  the  sea,  and  extra 
ordinary  beauty  of  the  vegetation.  Unknown  fruits 
grew  in  rich  abundance,  overhanging  the  shore. 

Columbus  stood  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  watching 
the  naked  inhabitants  retreating  among  the  trees  as 
he  advanced  toward  the  shore. 

On  landing,  Columbus  threw  himself  on  his  knees, 
kissed  the  earth,  and  returned  thanks  to  God  with 
tears  of  joy  —  an  example  followed  by  nearly  all  the 
others,  whose  hearts  overflowed  with  gratitude. 
Then  rising,  the  admiral  drew  his  sword,  displayed 
the  royal  standard,  and  assembling  around  him  the 
two  great  captains,  with  Roderigo  de  Escobar,  notary 
of  the  armament,  Roderigo  Sanchez  and  others,  he 
took  solemn  possession  in  the  name  of  the  Castilian 
sovereigns,  giving  the  island  the  name  of  San  Salva 
dor.  Having  complied  with  the  requisite  forms  and 
ceremonies,  he  called  on  all  present  to  take  oath  of 
obedience  to  himself  as  admiral  and  viceroy,  repre 
senting  the  persons  of  the  sovereigns 

Then  Columbus  offered  the  following  prayer: 

"  Domine  Deus,  ceterne  et  omnipotens,  sacro  tuo  verbo 
Ccelum,  et  terram,  et  mare  creasti;  benedicatur  et  glori- 
ficetur  nomen  tuum,  laudetur  tua  majestas,  quce  dignita 
est  per  humilem  servum  tuum,  ut  ejus  sacrum  nomen 
agnoscatur,  et  proedicetur  in  hoc  altera  mundi  parte." 


198  COLUMBIA 

The  crew  now  burst  forth  in  the  most  extravagant 
transports  of  joy.  They  thronged  around  the  admi 
ral  with  overflowing  zeal;  some  embraced  him,  others 
even  kissed  his  hands.  Those  who  had  been  most 
mutinous  during  the  voyage,  with  the  exception  of 
Miguel,  who  held  himself  aloof,  were  now  most  en 
thusiastic.  Some  begged  favors  of  him,  as  if  he  al 
ready  had  wealth  and  honors  at  his  disposal.  Even 
those  who  had  outraged  him  by  their  insolence  now 
kneeled  at  his  feet,  promising  the  blindest  obedience 
for  the  future. 

Hernando  was  still  kneeling  when  a  voice  just 
above  him  muttered  in  a  hard,  harsh  whisper: 

"He  has  triumphed  at  last." 

On  glancing  upward  the  lad  saw  the  evil  face  of 
Miguel  the  mutineer  bending  over  him. 

There  was  a  devilish,  malignant  expression  in  the 
villain's  face.  Hernando,  however,  was  too  much 
preoccupied  with  the  imposing  ceremony  of  discov 
ery  and  conquest,  to  give  much  heed  to  the  mutineer. 
But  he  did  not  fail  to  note  that  some  of  the  more 
avaricious  of  the  sailors  were  down  on  the  sands 
searching  for  particles  of  gold,  pearls,  and  shells. 

Since  early  dawn  the  natives  had  watched  the 
three  great  monsters  on  the  deep,  believing  them  to 
be  enormous  sea-birds ;  and  when  they  sent  out  boats 
filled  with  strange  beings  clad  in  glittering  steel,  and 
variously  colored  raiment,  they  became  frightened  and 
fled  to  the  woods.  Hernando  was  anxious  to  speak 
with  the  natives,  and  as  soon  as  the  imposing  ceremony 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  199 

was  over  he  rose  and  went  to  the  nearest  grove  of 
trees,  where  a  few  of  the  bolder  remained. 

The  natives  finding  they  were  not  pursued,  six  of 
them,  among  whom  was  one  female,  young,  beautiful, 
and  well  formed,  advanced  toward  the  Spaniards. 
After  prostrating  themselves  several  times,  they 
came  to  the  admiral,  whom  they  recognized  by  his 
splendid  raiment  and  noble  demeanor  to  be  chief  in 
authority.  A  few  moments  later,  when  they  had 
somewhat  overcome  their  astonishment  and  fear,  they 
approached  the  Spaniards,  touched  their  beards  and 
examined  their  hands  and  faces,  admiring  their 
whiteness. 

Hernando  went  boldly  to  one  of  the  oldest  of 
the  natives,  one  who  seemed  to  be  in  authority, 
and  asked: 

"Can  you  tell  me  where  my  father  is?" 

The  savage  gazed  at  him  in  wonder,  but  made  no 
answer. 

"Do  you  know  where  the  white  prisoner  is?" 
asked  the  lad,  still  answered  only  by  a  stare  of 
stupefied  amazement. 

"Come,  come,  lad,"  said  Columbus. 

"Where  shall  we  find  him?  He  must  be  some 
where  on  the  island." 

"Be  patient,"  returned  the  admiral.  "All  things 
come  to  those  who  wait.  We  are  on  one  of  the 
extreme  islands  of  the  Indies,  and  may  find  your 
father  further  inland." 

The  hope  and  expectancy  which  had  buoyed  up 


200  COLUMBIA 

Hernando  all  through  the  long  voyage  now  began 
to  give  place  to  doubt,  and  he  was  almost  ready 
to  despair.  But  there  was  excitement  and  interest 
enough  to  keep  his  mind  constantly  engaged.  The 
Spaniards  were  disappointed  in  not  finding  gold 
more  abundant,  but  the  admiral  assured  them  that 
they  would  find  large  quantities  farther  inland,  or 
on  some  other  island. 

The  admiral  distributed  among  the  natives 
colored  caps,  glass  beads,  hawks-bells,  and  other 
such  trifles  as  the  Portuguese  were  accustomed  to 
trade  with  among  the  nations  of  the  gold  coast  of 
Africa. 

In  every  manner  possible  the  anxious  lad  tried 
to  make  his  wishes  known  to  the  natives.  The 
young  woman,  who  seemed  possessed  of  a  higher 
degree  of  intelligence  than  the  others,  listened 
attentively  to  his  words,  studied  his  pantomime 
with  care,  yet  comprehended  nothing.  She  knew 
the  lad  was  in  distress,  and  her  simple  heart  went 
out  to  him;  she  tried  to  console  him,  but  he 
was  as  ignorant  of  her  intent  as  she  was  of  his 
language. 

Next  morning  the  shore  was  thronged  with 
natives,  some  even  swimming  off  to  the  ships  or 
paddling  about  in  their  canoes.  They  were  all 
eager  to  procure  more  toys  and  trinkets,  believing 
that  they  came  from  beings  from  another  world. 

The  island  where  Columbus  had  thus  first  set 
foot  in  the  New  World  was  called  by  the  natives 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  201 

Guanahane.  It  still  retains  the  name  of  San  Sal 
vador,  but  it  is  sometimes  called  by  the  English, 
Cat  Island. 

"This  is  not  the  island  of  Cipango!"  said 
Columbus  to  the  Pinzons,  as  they  explored  San 
Salvador. 

"Hardly  Cipango,  I  fear,"  answered  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon,  with  a  smile. 

"Yet  Cipango  is  not  far  away,  and  we  will  con 
tinue  our  voyage  westward  until  it  is  found." 

"If  we  could  understand  the  language  of  the 
natives,  admiral,  they  might  tell  us  many  things," 
said  Hernando. 

"Yes,  my  lad,  and  I  have  determined  to  take 
seven  of  these  natives  with  us,  to  teach  them  the 
Spanish  language.  We  will  leave  San  Salvador 
tomorrow,  and  keep  them  constantly  with  us  as 
our  guides  in  the  New  World." 

The  admiral  carried  out  his  plans,  taking  ssven 
of  the  natives,  among  whom  was  the  Indian  girl 
who  had  displayed  so  remarkable  a  degree  of  intelli 
gence.  They  proved  apt  pupils  and  in  a  few  days 
began  to  pick  up  various  words  in  Spanish,  though 
they  conversed  more  by  signs. 

They  found  a  vast  number  of  green  islands, 
level  and  fertile,  all  about  them.  The  Indians  on 
board  indicated  that  they  were  innumerable,  well 
peopled,  and  at  war  with  each  other.  Columbus 
spent  much  of  his  time  teaching  the  Indians  and 
asking  them  questions.  They  gave  him  the  names 


202  COLUMBIA 

of  over  a  hundred  islands,  and  he  turned  to  Martin 
Pinzon,  who  was  at  his  side,  and  said: 

"There  can  no  longer  be  a  doubt  that  we  are 
among  those  islands  described  by  Marco  Polo  as 
studding  the  sea  of  China  and  lying  a  great  dis 
tance  from  the  mainland." 

At  the  various  points  at  which  they  touched 
they  found  the  Indians  peaceable,  and,  as  soon  as 
they  had  overcome  their  timidity,  perfectly  will 
ing  to  come  on  board.  They  told  Columbus  of  a 
warlike  tribe  called  the  Caribs. 

"Perhaps  the  Caribs  have  my  father  a  captive," 
said  the  lad. 

One  day  Hernando  asked  the  girl  again  about 
his  father,  and  she  gave  him  some  signs  of  encour 
agement  which  led  him  to  believe  that  his  father 
was  among  the  Caribs. 

From  island  to  island  the  explorers  went,  filled 
with  new  wonder,  as  the  islands  grew  larger  and 
the  mountains  higher  and  more  imposing. 

But  the  mischief-breeder  was  ever  busy.  Miguel 
was  a  shrewd  knave  and  a  keen  pryer  into  human 
frailty.  He  had  noted  how  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon 
seemed  to  chafe  under  the  admiral's  command. 

One  day  while  on  board  the  Pinta  he  asked 
to  talk  with  the  captain.  Martin  Alonzo  was  an 
austere  man,  but  Miguel  contrived  to  approach  him 
on  some  pretense.  When  they  were  alone  he  said: 

"Senor  Captain  Pinzon,  why  do  you  allow  this 
foreigner  to  win  all  the  honors  of  this  expedition?" 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  203 

"What  do  you  mean?"  demanded  Pinzon. 
"Do  you  not  understand  me?" 
"I  do  not." 


"WHAT  I  AM  ABOUT  TO  SAY  MAT  COST  ME  MY  LIFE." 

"I  was  asking  myself,  sefior  captain,  if  I  dared 
make  myself  plain." 

"Why  not?" 

"What  I  am  about  to  say  may  cost  me  my 
life,  and  you  can  understand  that  I  am  a  little 
wary  of  my  speech." 


204  COLUMBIA 

Pinzon  answered: 

"You  and  I  are  alone.     You  may  speak  freely." 

"You  will  not  be  offended  at  my  boldness?  " 

"No." 

"I  was  about  to  ask  why  you  should  allow  this 
foreigner,  Christopher  Columbus,  to  bear  off  all  the 
honors  and  emoluments  of  an  expedition  for  which 
you  deserve  more  credit  than  he." 

"I  don't  see  that  I  can  help  it,  even  if  I  would." 

"There  is  a  way,  captain." 

"Yes?" 

"There  is  no  need  that  this  Genoese  beggar 
should  come,  and  by  your  help,  your  money,  ships, 
and  sailors,  make  discoveries  that  will  place  him  next 
to  the  throne.  What  would  he  have  been  but 
for  you?" 

"Nothing." 

"Only  a  beggar,"  added  the  shrewd  Miguel. 
"For  him  you  paid  an  eighth,  while  he  paid  nothing. 
He  had  nothing  to  risk.  You  risked  life  and  for 
tune.  Now,  why  should  he  reap  all  the  reward?" 

An  argument  more  suited  to  its  purpose  could  not 
have  been  offered,  and  Finzon  was  moved,  but  he 
was  careful  not  to  let  the  villain  know  it.  After 
a  few  moments'  hesitation,  he  answered: 

"I  don't  see  how  I  can  prevent  it." 

With  a  crafty  smile  Miguel  answered: 

"If  the  captain  will  allow  me,  I  will  suggest. 
Let  him  put  about  some  dark  night,  sail  at  once  for 
Spain,  and  make  report  of  this  great  discovery  to 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  205 

the  king  and  queen;  by  so  doing  he  will  be  first 
to  gain  their  favor." 

Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  started  and  fixed  his 
piercing  black  eyes  on  the  mutineer's  face.  It 
was  an  evil  face,  full  of  cunning  and  malignance, 
and  the  eyes  shone  with  the  fiendish  light  of  a  ssr- 
pent.  Martin  Alonzo  did  not  decide  at  once  to 
follow  the  base  suggestion;  in  fact,  he  rejected  it 
at  first  as  dishonorable.  But  the  matter  kept 
weighing  on  his  mind  from  day  to  day,  until  the 
scheme,  disgraceful  as  it  was,  had  taken  complete 
possession  of  him. 

A  few  days  after  leaving  San  Salvador,  Columbus 
discovered  Fernandina,  a  beautiful  island,  which 
he  left  on  the  19th  of  October.  The  natives  spoke 
frequently  of  a  large  island  where  gold  and 
diamonds  were  in  abundance,  pointing  off  to  the 
southwest  as  the  locality  where  these  riches  were  to 
be  found.  Columbus  understood  them  to  speak  of 
some  powerful  monarch,  whom  he  supposed  to  be 
the  Grand  Khan.  They  next  discovered  an  island, 
which  they  named  Isabella  in  honor  of  the  queen. 

Here  there  were  large  lakes  of  fresh  water,  with 
marvelous  groves  about  them,  and  everything  as 
green  as  Andalusia  in  April.  The  music  of  birds 
filled  the  forests  with  sweetest  melodies,  and  fruits 
and  flowers  abounded  in  profusion.  But  Columbus 
was  disappointed.  He  did  not  find  the  drugs  and 
spices  which  he  had  hoped  to  carry  away  in  great 
quantities. 


206 


COLUMBIA 


From  island  to  island  they  wandered,  seeing 
naked  Indians  enough  and  mute  dogs,  but  little 
gold.  Yet  ever  in  the  hope  of  reaching  the  Grand 
Khan  and  delivering  to  him  the  letters  from  his 
sovereigns,  Columbus  continued  his  westward  voyage, 
until,  on  the  28th  of  October,  they  came  in  sight  of 
a  great  land.  The  Spaniards  were  long  in  doubt 


NEUVITAS. 

whether  this  was  the  island  of  Cipango  or  a  continent. 
They  were  struck  with  awe  as  they  approached  its 
lofty  mountains,  its  grand  harbors,  and  sweeping 
rivers. 

Columbus's  heart  was  full  to  overflowing,  for  he 
was  enjoying  in  some  measure  the  fulfillment  of  his 
hopes,  and  the  hard-earned  but  glorious  reward  of 
his  toils  and  perils. 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN  207 

"This  is  the  most  beautiful  land,  that  eyes  ever 
beheld,"  exclaimed  the  enraptured  explorer.  He 
found  the  place  full  of  excellent  ports  and  deep 
rivers.  The  natives,  timid  at  first,  afterward  became 
bolder,  and,  when  they  found  the  strangers  were  kind, 
became  very  friendly.  Many  expeditions  were  made 
into  the  interior,  up  the  rivers,  and  through  the  forests. 
The  island  —  for  such  it  proved  to  be  —  was  later  to 
be  known  as  Cuba,  and  the  present  town  of  Neuvitas 
marks  the  place  where  Columbus  disembarked. 

The  natives  whom  Columbus  had  undertaken 
to  instruct  in  Spanish  were  but  little  proficient  in 
the  language  by  this  time,  and  the  misinterpretation 
of  their  words  caused  many  serious  mistakes.  Un 
derstanding  from  them  that  a  powerful  king  lived 
in  the  interior,  and  believing  him  to  be  the  Grand 
Khan,  Columbus  determined  to  send  two  envoys, 
in  company  with  Indian  guides,  across  the  country 
in  search  for  him.  For  this  mission  he  chose  two 
Spaniards,  Roderigo  de  Jerez  and  Luis  de  Torres, 
the  latter  a  converted  Jew,  who  knew  Hebrew  and 
Chaldaic,  and  even  something  of  Arabic,  one  or  more 
of  which  languages  Columbus  supposed  might  be  un 
derstood  by  this  Oriental  prince. 

"May  I  go  with  them?"  asked  Hernando,  when 
the  embassy  was  ready  to  start  on  its  march  through 
the  wilderness.  "They  go  to  the  interior  and  may 
discover  my  father." 

The  admiral  consented,  and,  shouldering  his 
cross-bow,  the  lad  accompanied  the  envoys. 


208  COLUMBIA 

The  expedition  failed,  for  the  Grand  Khan  could 
not  be  found,  and  the  ambassadors  were  compelled 
to  return  with  the  report  of  only  a  wilderness  which 
seemed  unending.  On  their  return  Hernando  saw 
the  Indians  going  about  with  fire-brands  in  their 
hands  and  a  certain  dried  herb  which  they  rolled 
up  in  a  leaf.  Lighting  one  end,  they  put  the  other 
in  their  mouths  and  exhaled  and  puffed  smoke. 

He  asked  an  Indian  what  it  was  and  was  an 
swered  by  the  one  word: 

"Tobacco." 

Filled  with  boyish  curiosity,  Hernando  asked  one 
of  the  Indians  for  a  roll  and  on  being  given  one 
lighted  it.  A  few  whiffs  at  it  and  he  became  deathly 
sick.  His  white  companions  grew  very  uneasy, 
but  the  Indians  evinced  no  concern.  Roderigo  de 
Jerez  and  Luis  de  Torres  supposed  that  the  lad  was 
poisoned,  and  threatened  to  kill  the  Indians;  but 
Hernando  shortly  recovered.  Never  again  would 
he  touch  tobacco,  although  he  lived  to  see  the  use 
of  it  growing  popular. 

The  islands  of  Babeque  and  Bohio  were  so  often 
mentioned  by  the  natives  that  Columbus  determined 
on  the  return  of  his  ambassadors,  to  go  in  search 
of  them. 

Accordingly,  on  the  12th  of  November  Columbus 
turned  his  course  to  the  east-southeast,  to  follow  back 
along  the  coast;  and  on  the  19th  again  the  squadron 
put  to  sea,  and  for  two  days  made  ineffectual  attempts 
against  head-winds  to  reach  an  island  directly  east, 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  GRAND  KHAN          209 

about  sixty  miles  distant,  which  he  supposed  to  be 
Babeque. 

The  words  breathed  into  the  ears  of  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon  by  the  mutineer,  like  all  other  evil,  began  to 
grow  and  take  possession  of  his  soul,  and  he  who,  in 
the  darkest  hours,  was  the  truest,  trustiest  friend  of 
Columbus,  became  now  a  cool,  calculating,  treach 
erous  enemy.  The  wind  continuing  obstinately  ad 
verse  and  the  sea  rough,  Columbus  put  about  his 
ship  toward  evening  of  the  20th,  making  signals  for 
the  others  to  follow  him. 

The  Pinta,  which  was  considerably  to  eastward, 
paid  no  attention  to  his  signals.  Columbus  re 
peated  them,  but  they  were  still  disregarded.  Night 
coming  on,  he  shortened  sail  and.  hoisted  signal 
lights  to  the  masthead,  thinking  Pinzon  would  yet 
join  him.  This  he  could  easily  do,  having  the  wind 
astern;  but  when  morning  dawned  the  Pinta  was 
no  longer  to  be  seen. 

"What  does  it  mean?"  asked  the  amazed  ad 
miral. 

Miguel  heard  the  question  and  walked  forward 
to  conceal  a  smile  of  triumph 


Vol.  1—14 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

FORT  NATIVITY. 

COLUMBUS  was  greatly  troubled  by  the  conduct 
of  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon.  He  tried  to  believe  the 
Pinta  would  yet  join  them,  but  all  the  while  he  suf 
fered  no  little  uneasiness.  Some  sudden  swell  of  the 
sea  might  have  hurled  her  upon  the  breakers,  and  at 
that  very  moment  she  might  be  a  wreck  among  the 
rocks  of  some  of  the  islands.  In  order  to  find  the 
Pinta,  he  put  back  to  Cuba,  and  hugged  its  coast  as 
closely  as  he  dared  on  account  of  rocky  reefs  and 
dangerous  sandbars.  He  explored  many  rivers  and 
harbors  which  today  bear  the  names  he  gave  them. 

But,  at  last,  under  the  belief  that  he  was  going  to 
the  golden  island  of  Bohio,  where,  according  to  the 
imperfect  account  of  the  savages,  gold  was  to  be  found 
in  abundance,  he  set  sail  from  the  coast  of  Cuba. 
Baracoa,  the  first  town  founded  on  the  island,  marks 
the  point  where  he  left  the  coast  of  Cuba  for  the 
island  of  Hayti,  which  the  admiral  named  Hispaniola, 
because  of  its  fancied  resemblance  to  Spain. 

In  the  transparent   atmosphere    of    the  tropics 

objects  are  descried  at  a  great  distance;    and   the 

purity  of  the  air  and  serenity  of  the  deep  blue  sky 

give  a  magical  effect  to  the  scenery.     Under  these 

210 


FORT  NATIVITY 


211 


advantages,  the  beautiful  island  of  Hayti  revealed 
itself  to  their  eyes.  Its  mountains  were  higher  and 
more  rocky  than  those  of  the  other  islands,  and  the 
stone  cropped  out  from  among  the  densest  and  richest 
forests.  The  mountains  swept  down  into  luxuriant 
plains  and  green  savannas;  while  the  appearance  of 


cultivated  fields,   of  numerous  fires  at  night,   and 
columns  of  smoke  by  day,  proved  it  to  be  populous. 

It  was  evening  on  the  6th  of  December  when 
Columbus  entered  a  fine  harbor  which  he  called  St. 
Nicholas.  On  the  next  day  they  coasted  along  the 
island  and  entered  a  harbor  which  they  called  Port 
Conception,  now  known  as  the  Bay  of  Moustiaue. 


212  COLUMBIA 

"We  must  find  some  means  of  communicating 
with  the  natives,"  said  Columbus.  "As  they  fly  at 
our  approach,  I  will  send  six  armed  men  into  the 
interior." 

Hernando,  with  faint  hope  of  finding  his  father, 
begged  to  be  one  of  the  number  and  was  granted  the 
privilege.  They  found  several  cultivated  fields  and 
traces  of  roads  and  fires,  but  tlfe  inhabitants  had 
fled  in  terror  to  the  mountains. 

On  the  12th  Hernando  and  a  sailor  captured  an 
Indian  girl,  who  wore  an  ornament  of  gold  in  her 
nose.  This  roused  their  hopes  of  finding  more  of  the 
precious  metal.  She  was  clothed  and  loaded  with 
presents,  and  sent  with  some  Indian  interpreters  and 
sailors  to  assure  her  people  that  the  white  strangers 
were  friends. 

Confident  of  the  favorable  impression  which  the 
report  of  the  woman  must  produce,  the  admiral 
pressed  his  attentions  on  the  natives  and  was  finally 
conducted  by  them  to  their  homes,  where  the 
Spaniards  were  hospitably  entertained.  They  re 
turned  to  their  ships,  enraptured  with  the  beauty  of 
the  country,  which  surpassed,  as  they  said,  even  that 
of  the  luxuriant  plains  of  Cordova. 

It  is  impossible  to  refrain  from-  dwelling  on  the 
picture  given  by  the  first  discoverer,  of  the  state  of 
manners  found  among  these  natives  before  the  arrival 
of  the  white  men.  According  to  his  accounts,  the 
people  of  Hayti  existed  in  that  state  of  primitive  and 
savage  simplicity  which  some  philosophers  have 


FORT  NATIVITY  213 

fondly  pictured  as  the  most  enviable  on  earth;  sur 
rounded  by  natural  blessings,  without  even  a  knowl 
edge  of  artificial  wants. 

One  of  the  most  pleasing  descriptions  of  the  in 
habitants  of  this  island  is  given  by  old  Peter  Martyr, 
who  gathered  it,  as  he  says,  from  the  conversations  of 
the  admiral  himself.  "It  is  certain,"  says  he,  "that 
the  land  among  these  people  is  as  common  as  the  sun 
and  water;  and  that  'mine  and  thine,'  the  seeds  of  all 
mischief,  have  no  place  with  them.  They  are  con 
tent  with  so  little,  that  in  so  large  a  country  they 
have  rather  superfluity  than  scarceness;  so  that  they 
seem  to  live  in  the  golden  world,  without  toil,  dwel 
ling  in  open  gardens;  not  intrenched  with  dikes, 
divided  with  hedges,  or  defended  with  walls.  They 
deal  truly  one  with  another,  without  laws,  without 
books,  and  without  judges.  They  take  him  for  an 
evil  and  mischievous  man  who  ta'keth  pleasure  in 
doing  hurt  to  another." 

Hernando  made  inquiry  of  the  natives  of  Hayti 
for  his  father,  but,  as  before,  was  not  understood. 
He  could  not  believe  that  his  father  would  be  held  in 
captivity  by  these  hospitable  people,  and  concluded 
that  he  must  be  at  Babeque  or  a  captive  among  the 
warlike  Caribs,  of  whom  he  heard  such  frequent 
mention. 

On  the  14th  of  December  Columbus  made  another 
attempt  to  find  the  island  of  Babeque,  but  was  again 
baffled  by  adverse  winds.  He  landed  at  an  island 
which,  from  the  abundance  of  turtles,  he  called 


FORT  NATIVITY  215 

Tortugas.  This  island  in  after  years  became  the  head 
quarters  of  the  famous  buccaneers  of  the  West  Indies. 

For  several  days  the  admiral  continued  beating 
about  the  island  of  Hayti,  unable,  by  reason  of 
contrary  winds  and  adverse  tides,  to  make  much 
headway.  On  the  24th  of  December  he  set  sail  from 
Port  St.  Thomas,  and  steered  to  eastward  with  the 
intention  of  anchoring  at  the  harbor  of  the  cacique 
(or  ruler),  Guacanagari.  The  wind  was  from  the 
land,  but  was  so  light  as  to  scarcely  fill  the  sails. 

Since  Miguel's  release  from  imprisonment,  Co 
lumbus  had  had  no  reason  to  doubt  his  honor  or 
sincerity.  The  fellow  was  an  expert  seaman,  and, 
though  he  had  been  constantly  setting  traps  to  en 
compass  the  ruin  of  Columbus,  the  over-trusting 
admiral  supposed  that  his  enmity  would  end  with  the 
discovery  of  land.  It  was  night,  and  Columbus, 
worn  out  by  long  watching,  placed  the  helm  in  the 
hands  of  Miguel  as  the  most  skilful  mariner,  and, 
ordering  him  to  remain  at  his  post,  went  to  his  cabin 
to  seek  a  little  much-needed  sleep. 

Hernando  was  still  on  deck,  and  no  sooner  had 
Columbus  retired  than  the  steersman  called  to  him. 

"Well?"  the  lad  answered. 

"Come  and  take  the  helm." 

"It  is  against  orders,"  interposed  Hernando. 
"  You  are  instructed  never  to  intrust  the  helm  to  one 
of  the  ship's  boys." 

"Come  and  take  it,  but  for  a  moment." 

"I  must  not." 


216  COLUMBIA 

But  Miguel  had  not  practiced  subtle  craft  to 
poor  purpose:  in  short  space  he  prevailed  and  Hern- 
ando  consented  to  take  the  helm  for  a  moment. 
The  other  sailors  took  advantage  of  the  absence  of 
Columbus,  and  in  a  little  while  the  entire  watch  was 
buried  in  slumber.  In  the  meantime,  the  treacherous 
currents  which  run  swiftly  along  this  coast  were 
carrying  the  vessel  dangerously  in-shore.  The  boy 
did  not  hear  the  roar  of  breakers  ahead.  Suddenly 
there  came  a  grating  sound  and  a  sickening  jar.  The 
boy  shouted  loudly: 

"Help!     quick,    Miguel,    or   we'll   be   wrecked!" 

Columbus,  whose  cares  never  permitted  him  to 
sleep  deeply,  was  first  on  deck.  The  master  of  the 
ship,  whose  duty  it  was  to  have  been  on  watch,  made 
his  appearance  next,  followed  by  others  of  the  crew 
only  half- awake  and  thoroughly  frightened. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this?"  demanded  Co 
lumbus. 

"We  are  grounded,  admiral,"  answered  Hernando. 

"Where  is  the  helmsman?" 

"I  was  at  the  helm." 

"You!" 

"Yes,  admiral." 

"Where  is  the  sailor?     Where  is  the  watch?" 

"All  here."  cried  several  voices  about  him,  for 

* 

the  deck  was  now  covered  with  men.  Columbus 
knew  it  was  time  for  action  rather  than  reproof.  He 
ordered  the  sailors  to  take  the  boat,  carry  the  anchor 
astern,  and  work  the  vessel  off.  The  master  and 


FORT  NATIVITY  217 

sailors,  among  whom  was  Miguel,  sprang  into  the  boat; 
but  confused,  as  men  are  likely  to  be  when  suddenly 
awakened  by  an  alarm,  instead  of  obeying  the  com 
mands  of  Columbus  they  rowed  off  to  the  Nina,  about 
half  a  league  to  windward. 

Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon  no  sooner  learned  of  this 
apparent  desertion  of  the  admiral  than  he  manned 
his  own  boat  and  hastened  to  the  relief  of  Colum 
bus.  But  by  that  time,  nothing  could  be  done  for 
the  Santa  Maria,  though  Columbus  had  her  masts 
cut  away.  She  was  deeply  imbedded  in  the  sand, 
and  her  stern  swinging  around  broadside  to  the 
breakers,  she  was  forced  by  each  succeeding  wave 
farther  and  farther  upon  the  shore,  until  she  fell  over 
on  her  side.  Fortunately,  the  weather  continued  calm, 
otherwise  the  ship  must  have  gone  to  pieces  and  the 
entire  crew  have  perished  amid  the  currents  and 
breakers. 

Columbus  and  his  crew  took  refuge  OR  board  the 
Nina.  Diego  de  Arana,  chief  judge  di  the  ar 
mament,  and  Pedro  Gutierrez,  the  king's  butler, 
were  immediately  sent  on  shore  as  envoys  to  the 
cacique  Guacanagari,  to  inform  him  of  the  intended 
visit  and  disastrous  shipwreck. 

The  cacique  lived  about  a  league  away,  and  when 
he  heard  of  the  disastrous  shipwreck  of  his  visitors  he 
shed  tears.  All  his  people,  with  all  their  canoes,  were 
placed  at  the  service  of  the  admiral  and  the  stranded 
vessel  was  soon  unloaded.  The  utmost  kindness  and 
hospitality  were  shown  to  the  white  men  and  every- 


218 


COLUMBIA 


thing  in  the  power  of  the  natives  was  done  to  make 
them  comfortable. 

The  day  after  Christmas  the  cacique  Guacana- 
gari  came  on  board  the  Nina  to  see  Columbus.  He 
was  deeply  moved  by  the  dejected  bearing  of  the 
admiral  and  offered  every  consolation  in  his  power. 
Hernando,  meantime,  saw  some  Indians  coming  in 


THE   SHIPWRECK. 

canoes  to  the  ship,  holding  up  bits  of  gold  of  no  in 
considerable  quantity,  which  they  offered  for  hawks- 
bells  and  trinkets.  He  hastened  to  the  admiral  with 
the  joyful  news  that  gold  abounded  on  the  island. 

"Then  we  are  repaid  for  all  our  suffering,"  an 
swered  the  admiral. 

Guacanagari,  observing  the  changed  demeanor 
of  the  admiral,  asked  his  interpreter  the  cause. 

"It  is  because  gold  is  being  brought  to  the  ad 
miral,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Is  the  great  admiral  so  fond  of  gold  ?  "  the  cacique 
asked. 


FORT  NATIVITY  219 

"He  seems  so/'  answered  the  interpreter. 

"Not  far  off,  among  the  mountains,  gold  is  as 
plentiful  as  stone." 

"Where  is  it?" 

"Cibao." 

"Cibao,"  repeated  Columbus,  who  had  been  listen 
ing  to  the  interpreter.  "Ay,  he  means  the  island  of 
Cipango." 

The  cacique  dined  with  the  admiral  on  that  day, 
and  his  manner  was  princely  yet  modest.  His  whole 
deportment,  to  the  enthusiastic  eyes  of  Columbus, 
betokened  the  inborn  grace  and  dignity  of  lofty 
lineage. 

In  fact,  the  sovereignty  among  the  people  of  this 
island  was  hereditary.  The  form  of  government  was 
completely  despotic;  the  caciques  had  entire  control 
over  the  lives,  the  property,  and  even  the  religion  of 
their  subjects.  They  had  few  laws  and  ruled  accord 
ing  to  their  judgment  and  their  will;  but  they  ruled 
mildly  and  \vere  implicitly  and  cheerfully  obeyed. 

Next  day  Guacanagari  entertained  Columbus  and 
his  officers  on  shore,  with  a  thousand  natives  to  amuse 
his  guests.  After  the  feast,  he  conducted  the  admiral 
and  his  officials  to  the  beautiful  groves  which  sur 
rounded  his  residence.  Here  the  cacique's  attend 
ants  performed  several  games  and  dances,  which 
Guacanagari  had  ordered  to  lighten  the  spirits  of  his 
guests. 

"I  think  it  well  to  give  them  an  exhibition  of 
some  of  our  skill  in  arms,"  said  Columbus  to  Vincent 


FORT  NATIVITY  221 

Yanez  Pinzon,  when  the  entertainment  given  by  the 
savages  was  ended.  "Who  is  our  best  archer?" 

Pinzon  answered: 

"Miguel  is  by  all  odds  the  best.  He  served  in  the 
wars  of  Granada  and  can  handle  the  Moorish  bow 
and  arrows." 

"Send  for  him  and  bring  a  Moorish  bow  and  a 
quiver  of  arrows;  also  an  arquebus  and  alombard;  we 
must  teach  them  some  of  the  powers  of  gunpowder." 

Miguel  came  with  the  Moorish  bow  and  a  quiver 
of  arrows.  A  target  was  set  up  at  a  great  distance 
and  the  mutineer  began  sending  arrows  all  around  it, 
at  last  driving  one  centre.  The  natives  were  amazed 
at  the  wonderful  skill  which  he  displayed.  The  cac 
ique  then  made  Columbus  understand  that  the  Caribs^ 
who  often  invaded  his  territory  and  carried  off-  his 
subjects,  were  likewise  armed  with  bows  and  arrows. 

Through  his  interpreter,  Columbus  answered: 

"Have  no  more  fears  of  the  Caribs,  for  our  Castil- 
ian  monarchs  can  destroy  them.  We  have  weapons 
still  more  powerful,  as  you  shall  see." 

Hernando  then  took  an  arquebus,  placed  the  rest 
on  the  ground,  aimed  at  a  small  tree  some  distance 
away,  and  applying  a  slow  match,  sent  the  ball  whiz 
zing  through  the  air,  shattering  the  tender  bark. 
Then  the  lombard,  or  cannon,  was  fired. 

On  hearing  the  report  the  Indians  fell  to  the 
ground,  as  if  struck  by  a  thunder-bolt;  and  when 
they  saw  the  effects  of  the  balls,  rending  and  shivering 
the  trees  like  a  stroke  of  lightning,  they  were  further 


222  COLUMBIA 

filled  with  dismay.  Being  assured,  however,  that  the 
Spaniards  would  defend  them  with  these  arms  against 
their  dreaded  enemies,  the  Caribs,  their  alarm  gave 
place  to  exultation,  considering  themselves  under  the 
protection  of  the  sons  of  Heaven,  who  had  come  from 
the  skies  armed  with  thunder  and  lightning. 

"They  will  always  be  our  friends,"  said  Columbus 
to  Pinzon. 

After  the  games  were  over,  all  went  to  examine  the 
wreck. 

"What  is  your  opinion,  Captain  Pinzon?"  asked 
Columbus. 

"I  fear  we  can  never  get  her  afloat." 

"And  the  Pinta  gone,"  said  Columbus.  "I  am 
afraid  we  cannot  carry  all  back  in  the  Nina." 

"It  would  greatly  crowd  her,  admiral." 

"I  have  thought  that  as  the  sailors  are  so  favor 
ably  impressed  with  the  island  and  the  natives,  we 
might  build  a  fort  and  leave  a  garrison." 

"Your  plan  is  a  wise  one,  admiral,  for  it  will  form 
the  germ  of  a  future  colony,"  said  Vincent  Yanez. 

"The  wreck  of  the  caravel  will  easily  afford  ma 
terials  to  construct  a  fortress,  which  can  be  defended 
by  her  guns,  and  supplied  with  her  ammunition; 
while  provisions  enough  can  be  spared  to  maintain  a 
small  garrison  for  a  year." 

After  a  moment's  reflection  on  the  plan,  which 
seemed  growing  in  Captain  Pinzon's  favor,  Columbus 
added  as  a  further  argument: 

"The  men  we  leave  can  explore  the  island,  and 


FORT  NATIVITY  223 

make  themselves  acquainted  with  its  mines  and 
other  sources  of  wealth.  They  can  at  the  same 
time  procure  by  traffic  a  large  quantity  of  gold  from 
the  natives,  learn  their  language  and  accustom  them 
selves  to  their  habits  and  manners,  so  as  to  be  of 
great  use  in  future  dealings  with  them." 

They  at  once  proceeded  to  put  the  plan  into  execu 
tion.  The  wreck  was  broken  up  and  brought  piece 
meal  to  shore,  a  site  chosen,  and  preparations  made 
for  the  erection  of  a  tower.  With  the  aid  of  the  na 
tives,  the  work  progressed  rapidly  and  before  the  work 
was  completed  Columbus  grew  to  look  upon  the  loss 
of  the  Santa  Maria  as  a  providential  event,  myster 
iously  ordained  by  Heaven  to  work  out  the  success  of 
his  enterprise.  One  day  he  discoursed  at  some  length 
to  Hernando  on  the  ways  of  Providence,  as  together 
they  were  directing  some  details  of  the  work  on  the  fort. 

"The  greatest  enterprise  would  soon  come  to 
naught,"  he  said,  "if  left  entirely  to  the  direction  of 
men.  Without  this  seeming  disaster,  we  should  never 
have  remained  to  find  out  the  secret  wealth  of  this 
island,  but  should  merely  have  touched  at  various 
parts  of  the  coast  and  passed  on.  As  it  is,  when  we 
return  from  Spain  we  shall,  no  doubt,  find  a  ton  of 
gold  collected  in  traffic  by  those  whom  we  shall  be 
compelled  to  leave  behind,  and  mines  and  spices  will 
be  discovered  in  such  quantities  that  before  three 
years  have  passed  our  sovereigns  will  be  able  to  under 
take  a  crusade  for  the  deliverance  of  the  Holy  Sep 
ulchre." 


224  COLUMBIA 

Such  was  the  generous  enthusiasm  of  Columbus. 
The  prospects  for  great  wealth  immediately  filled  his 
mind  with  magnificent  enterprises  for  the  Church, 
instead  of  awakening  a  grasping  avidity  to  accumu 
late  vast  riches  for  himself.  But  how  futile  are  our 
attempts  to  interpret  the  inscrutable  decrees  of  Provi 
dence!  The  shipwreck,  which  Columbus  considered 
an  act  of  divine  favor  to  further  his  enterprise,  shack 
led  and  limited  all  his  future  discoveries.  It  linked 
his  fortunes  to  this  island,  which  was  destined  to  in 
volve  him  in  a  thousand  perplexities  and  becloud  his 
declining  years  with  humiliation  and  bitter  disappoint 
ment. 

On  being  informed  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
admiral  to  leave  a  part  of  his  men  for  the  defense  of  the 
island  against  the  Caribs,  while  he  returned  to  Spain 
for  more,  Guacanagari  was  overjoyed.  His  subjects 
manifested  equal  delight  at  retaining  these  wonder 
ful  people  among  them  and  at  the  prospect  of  the 
future  arrival  of  the  admiral  with  ships  freighted  with 
hawks-bells  and  other  articles  precious  to  them. 

From  time  to  time  the  cacique  sent  some  one  of  his 
family,  or  some  principal  person  of  his  attendants, 
to  console  and  cheer  the  admiral,  assuring  him  that 
everything  in  his  possession  should  be  at  his  disposal. 
Never  in  a  civilized  country  were  the  vaunted  rites 
of  hospitality  more  scrupulously  observed  than  by 
this  uncultivated  savage. 

He  eagerly  lent  his  aid  in  the  construction  of 
the  fortress,  little  dreaming  that  he  was  assisting  in 


FORT  NATIVITY  225 

placing  the  galling  yoke  of  perpetual  slavery  and  ruin 
on  the  necks  of  his  own  people. 

The  second  day  after  work  had  been  commenced 
on  the  fortress,  some  Indians  arrived  at  the  harbor 
from  a  distant  part  of  the  island.  Columbus,  'Her 
nando,  Miguel,  and  several  others,  went  to  learn 
what  news  they  brought.  The  interpreter,  after  con 
ferring  with  the  Indians,  said: 

"They  say  a  great  vessel,  like  those  of  the  admiral, 
is  anchored  in  a  river  at  the  eastern  part  of  the  island." 

"What  vessel  can  it  be?"  asked  Roderigo  de 
Escobedo. 

"It's  the  Pinta!"  cried  Columbus,  his  face  light 
ing  up  with  joy. 

"The  fool!  why  didn't  he  crowd  all  sail  for  Spain?" 
Miguel  hissed  through  his  set  teeth,  turning  away  to 
prevent  his  companions  seeing  his  expression  of  rage. 

Hernando,  however,  was  near  enough  to  hear  him. 
Hastening  to  his  side,  he  asked : 

"What  do  you  mean,  senor?" 

"It  matters  not  to  you." 

"It  does  matter  to  me,"  the  lad  answered,  while 
a  dangerous  light  kindled  in  his  eyes.  Wheeling 
about,  Miguel  walked  away  into  the  dense  wood,  and 
Hernando,  determined  to  know  what  his  manner 
had  to  do  with  the  strange  desertion  of  the  Pinta, 
followed  him.  He  was  soon  discovered,  and  draw 
ing  his  sword,  the  mutineer  turned  upon  the  lad 
and  cried: 

"Not  a  rod  farther  or  I  will  pin  you  to  the  earth!" 

Vol.  1—15 


226  COLUMBIA 

"Miguel,  mutineer  and  thief,  I  know  your  black 
heart!  I  have  watched  you,  and  I  know  you  for 
what  you  are.  Indirectly,  you  are  the  cause  of  all 
our  admiral's  troubles." 

"I  will  not  be  taunted  by  you,  you  young  dog!" 
cried  Miguel,  and  he  thought  "Why  delay  longer! 
Am  I  not  to  be  rewarded  for  slaying  the  lad  ?  He  has 
followed  me  into  .the  wood.  I  will  run  him  through 
and  conceal  the  body."  With  uplifted  sword  he 
leaped  at  the  lad,  crying: 

"You  shall  die!" 

Young  as  he  was,  Hernando's  life  had  more  than 
once  depended  on  his  sword,  and  he  was  not  taken 
off  his  guard.  Snatching  his  own  weapon  from  its 
sheath,  he  parried  the  blow  and  met  his  antagonist 
with  wonderful  coolness  and  skill.  But  what  could 
a  boy's  sword  do,  be  it  ever  so  skillfully  handled, 
against  an  utterly  lawless  man  ?  He  was  forced  back 
ward  down  to  his  knee  and  heavy  blows  rained  upon 
him. 

Hernando's  strength  was  ebbing  fast;  another 
moment  and  he  would  have  been  overcome.  Sud 
denly  a  tall,  dark  form  leaped  from  the  thicket  at  his 
side.  It  was  Guacanagari,  the  cacique.  Seizing 
Miguel  by  the  waist  as  if  he  had  been  a  child,  he 
hurled  him  several  feet  away. 

The  cacique  uttered  not  a  word.  Turning  away, 
he  left  the  wretch  groaning  on  the  ground.  Hernan- 
do  could  only  thank  his  rescuer  with  signs  and  return 
to  the  fort.  He  did  not  tell  the  admiral  of  his  well- 


FORT  NATIVITY  227 

nigh  fatal  encounter  with  Miguel,  and  Columbus 
never  knew  of  the  struggle  in  the  wood. 

Meantime,  Columbus  had  dispatched  a  Spaniard 
and  several  Indians,  in  a  canoe,  to  search  for  the 
Pinta.  After  three  days'  absence  they  returned, 
stating  that  though  they  had  pursued  the  coast 
for  twenty  leagues,  they  had  neither  seen  nor  heard 
of  the  Pinta  and  could  only  regard  the  report  as 
false. 

"Perhaps,  after  all,  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  has 
had  the  good  sense  to  sail  for  Spain  and  tell  the 
monarchs  of  his  discoveries,"  thought  Miguel,  who 
had  crawled  back  to  the  ship,  his  body  bruised  and 
his  face  livid  with  hatred. 

Since  the  shipwreck  of  the  Santa  Maria  the  de 
sertion  of  the  Pinta  was  a  matter  of  great  consequence 
to  Columbus.  Should  the  Pinta  be  lost,  he  would 
have  but  one  vessel  to  return  to  Spain;  and  should 
the  third  vessel  perish,  every  record  of  this  great  dis 
covery  would  be  swallowed  up  with  it,  and  the  name 
of  Columbus  be  remembered  only  as  that  of  a  mad 
adventurer,  who,  despising  the  opinions  of  the  learned 
and  the  counsels  of  the  wise,  had  departed  into  the 
wilds  of  the  ocean,  never  to  return.  The  uncertain 
ty  and  imagined  horrors  of  his  fate  might  deter  all 
future  enterprises,  and  thus  the  New  World  remain, 
as  heretofore,  unknown  to  civilized  man. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Columbus  deter 
mined  to  abandon  all  further  prosecution  of  the  voy 
age,  and  for  the  present  to  give  up  his  purpose  of 


228  COLUMBIA 

visiting  the  Grand  Khan.  He  decided  to  return  at 
once  to  Spain  and  report  his  marvelous  discovery. 

While  the  fort,  which  he  named  Fortress  La 
Navidad,  or  Nativity,  in  memorial  of  their  having 
escaped  from  the  shipwreck  on  Christmas  day,  was  in 
course  of  construction,  Guacanagari  and  five  tribu 
tary  caciques  came  and  placed  a  crown  of  gold  on  the 
head  of  the  admiral.  Columbus  took  from  his  neck  a 
collar  of  fine  colored  beads,  placed  it  about  that  of  the 
cacique,  and  gave  him  his  mantle  and  many  trinkets. 

So  great  was  the  activity  of  the  Spaniards  in  the 
construction  of  their  fortress,  and  so  ample  the  assist 
ance  rendered  by  the  natives,  that  in  ten  days  it  was 
sufficiently  complete  for  service.  A  large  vault  had 
been  made,  over  which  was  erected  a  strong  wooden 
tower,  the  whole  surmounted  by  a  wide  ditch.  It 
was  stored  with  ammunition  saved  from  the  wreck 
or  brought  from  the  caravel;  and,  with  the  guns 
which  they  had  mounted,  the  whole  had  a  formid 
able  aspect,  sufficient  to  overawe  the  natives  and 
discourage  any  hostility.  Columbus  really  thought 
very  little  force  necessary  to  hold  the  Haytians  in 
subjection.  The  fortress  and  garrison  were  more  a 
restriction  on  the  Spaniards  themselves,  to  prevent 
their  wandering  about  or  committing  acts  of  licen 
tiousness  among  the  Indians,  than  measures  for  pro 
tection. 

But  if  it  should  become  a  means  of  defense,  Fort 
La  Navidad  would  be  no  inconsiderable  place  of 
refuge. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

DESERTED THE     STORM. 

"HOME  again!  back  to  the  Old  World,  and  my  mis 
sion  unaccomplished!  My  father  still  the  slave  of 
some  wild,  barbarous  people,"  groaned  Hernando  Es- 
tevan,  as  he  paced  up  and  down  on  the  seashore  two 
nights  before  the  admiral  was  to  set  out  on  his  return. 

Notwithstanding  it  was  the  first  of  January  the 
weather  in  this  tropical  clime  was  pleasant.  Colum 
bus  had  been  walking  on  the  beach,  thinking  how 
much  he  had  to  thank  God  for,  when  he  came  upon 
his  young  friend  bowed  down  in  grief. 

"What,  in  tears!"  cried  the  admiral.  "What 
means  this?  " 

'My  lord  admiral,  on  the  day  after  tomorrow 
we  sail  for  the  Old  World,  and  my  father's  fate  is 
unknown." 

"My  lad,"  said  Columbus,  solemnly,  "I  fear  this 
is  all  a  delusion.  I  have  no  doubt  that  your  father 
has  been  dead  thess  many  years.  Put  the  thought 
from  your  mind.  You  have  done  your  duty  as  a  good 
son  should,  and  you  can  do  no  more.  Come,  take 
cheer." 

It  was  like  tearing  his  heart  from  his  bosom  for 
Hernando  to  give  up  the  hope  of  finding  his  father. 
229 


230  COLUMBIA 

He  paused  a  moment,  listening  to  the  sobbing  waves, 
and  thought  he  could  hear  his  father's  voice  among 
them,  calling  to  him  for  help.  But  the  admiral  as 
sured  him  it  was  only  his  fertile  imagination,  quick 
ened  by  long  dwelling  on  the  subject,  and  by  the 
strongest  reasoning  and  persuasion  the  lad  became 
partially  reconciled. 

Next  day  final  arrangements  were  made  for  de 
parture.  From  the  number  who  volunteered  to 
remain  on  the  island  Columbus  selected  thirty-nine 
of  the  most  able  and  exemplary,  among  them  a  physi 
cian,  a  ship-carpenter,  a  caulker,  a  cooper,  a  tailor, 
and  a  gunner,  all  experts  in  their  several  callings. 
The  command  was  given  to  Diego  de  Arana,  a  native 
of  Cordova,  and  notary  alquazil  to  the  armanent, 
who  was  to  retain  all  the  powers  vested  in  him  by  the 
Catholic  sovereigns.  In  case  of  his  death,  Pedro 
Gutierrez  was  to  command,  and  after  him  Roderigo 
de  Escobedo. 

The  boat  which  belonged  to  the  Santa  Maria  was 
left  with  them  to  be  used  in  fishing;  also  a  variety  of 
seeds  to  sow,  and  a  large  quantity  of  articles  for 
traffic,  in  order  that  they  might  procure  as  much  gold 
as  possible  by  the  time  of  the  admiral's  return 

Before  leaving,  Columbus  gave  to  the  men  who 
remained  behind,  some  excellent  advice,  which,  had 
it  been  followed,  might  have  averted  the  disaster 
that  befell  them. 

"Is  Miguel  to  remain,  admiral?"  asked  Her- 
nando. 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM  231 

"No,  he  returns  with  us.  I  could  not  leave  hi 
the  colony  a  man  of  such  vicious  tendencies." 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1493,  Columbus  landed  to 
take  a  farewell  of  the  generous  cacique  and  his  chief 
tains,  intending  next  day  to  set  sail.  He  gave  them 
a  parting  feast  at  the  house  devoted  to  his  use,  and 
commended  to  their  kindness  the  men  who  were  to 
remain,  especially  Diego  de  Arana,  Pedro  Gutier 
rez,  and  Roderigo  de  Escobedo. 

In  order  to  fully  impress  the  Indians  with  the 
warlike  prowess  of  the  white  men,  Columbus  caused 
the  crews  to  perform  skirmishes  and  sham  battles 
with  swords,  bucklers,  lances,  cross-bows,  arquebuses, 
and  cannon.  The  natives,  astounded  at  the  accuracy 
and  effect  of  the  small  arms,  were  stricken  with  awe 
when  the  heavy  lombards  were  discharged  from  the 
fortress,  wrapping  it  in  wreaths  of  smoke,  shaking  the 
forest  with  their  report,  and  shivering  trees  with  the 
heavy  stone  balls  used  in  artillery  in  those  times. 
The  festivities  of  the  day  ended,  Columbus  embraced 
the  cacique  and  his  principal  chieftains  and  took  a 
final  leave  of  them.  Guacanagari  had  been  completely 
won  by  the  benignity  of  the  admiral's  manners  and 
the  parting  scene  was  sorrowful  on  both  sides. 

Although  Columbus  had  intended  to  set  sail  on 
the  third  day  of  January  from  Fort  Nativity,  all 
arrangements  were  not  completed  nor  anchor  weighed 
until  the  morning  of  the  fourth.  Companionship  in 
perils  and  adventures  had  tied  the  members  of  the 
crew  together  with  strong  bonds  of  sympathy ;  and  the 


232  COLUMBIA 

parting  between  the  Spaniards  who  embarked  and 
those  who  remained  behind  presented  an  affecting 
scene.  The  little  garrison,  however,  evinced  a  stout 
heart  and  cheer  after  cheer  followed  their  departing 
comrades  as  they  gazed  wistfully  after  them  from  the 
beach. 

The  wind  being  light,  it  was  necessary  to  tow  the 
caravel  out  of  the  harbor  and  clear  of  the  reefs.  They 
sailed  eastward  toward  a  lofty  promontory,  destitute 
of  trees,  but  covered  with  grass,  having  at  a  dis 
tance  the  appearance  of  a  towering  island,  and  con 
nected  with  Hispaniola  by  a  low  neck  of  land.  To 
this  promontory  Columbus  gave  the  name  of  Monte 
Christi,  by  which  it  is  still  known.  They  remained 
near  the  place  for  two  days  and  again  set  sail  with 
a  favoring  breeze.  After  weathering  the  cape,  they 
had  gone  about  ten  leagues  when  the  wind  again 
turned  to  blow  sharply  from  the  east,  forcing  them 
to  tack. 

Hernando,  who  was  at  the  masthead,  suddenly 
discovered  a  vessel  standing  around  a  point  of  rocky 
headland. 

"A  sail,  a  sail!  "  he  cried. 

"A  sail  —  where  away?  "  asked  the  admiral,  who 
was  anxiously  pacing  the  forward  deck.  Hernando 
pointed  it  out,  and  no  sooner  had  the  eyes  of  Colum 
bus  rested  on  the  vessel,  than  he  cried  joyfully: 

"The  Pinta,  the  Pintal  "  The  certainty  of  the 
fact  gladdened  the  heart  of  the  admiral  and  had  an 
animating  effect  throughout  the  ship;  for  it  was  a 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM  233 

joyful  event  to  the  mariners  to  meet  with  their  com 
rades  once  more  and  have  a  companion  ship  on  their 
homeward  voyage. 

There  was  one,  however,  to  whom  the  sight  of 
the  Pinta  was  no  joy.  Miguel  cast  one  glance  at  the 
ship,  and,  recognizing  her,  walked  aft,  hissing  through 
his  teeth: 

"The  fool!  Why  did  he  loiter  about  the  island 
when  he  should  have  been  on  his  way  to  Spain?" 

Sweeping  down  toward  them,  directly  before  the 
wind,  came  the  Pinta.  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was 
not  really  a  bad  man  at  heart,  and  no  doubt  had 
already  repented  his  attempted  desertion. 

"I  must  speak  with  your  brother,"  said  Columbus 
to  Vincent  Pinzon. 

"We  can't  do  it  here,  admiral,  for  the  wind  is  too 
adverse  and  obstinate.  But  there  is  a  bay  a  little 
west  of  Monte  Christ!,  in  which  you  can  anchor  in 
safety." 

"We  will  put  back  there,  and  signal  the  Pinta  to 
follow." 

The  signal  was  given  and  the  Pinta  rounded  to 
and  followed  the  Nina  back  to  the  little  bay,  where 
both  vessels  dropped  anchor,  and  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon  came  aboard  the  Nina.  He  attempted  in 
vain  to  appear  composed;  his  countenance  fell,  and 
this  man,  naturally  great  and  good,  stood  dishonored 
before  Columbus. 

"  You  demand  an  explanation  of  my  abandonment 
of  the  squadron,?"  asked  Pinzon. 


234  COLUMBIA 

"Yes.     I  suppose  you  had  good  reasons?" 

"I  had.  I  was  compelled,  from  the  severe  stress  of 
weather,  to  part  company  and  have  ever  since  been 
seeking  to  find  you." 

Columbus  listened  to  his  words  in  suspicious 
silence  and  the  doubts  he  had  entertained  were  sub 
sequently  warranted  by  information  given  him  by  one 
of  the  sailors.  While  Pinzon  was  engaged  with  his 
brother,  Columbus  took  the  sailor  to  his  cabin  and 
asked: 

"Why  did  your  captain  desert  us?" 

The  sailor  looked  uneasily  about,  and,  toying  with 
his  cap,  answered: 

"He  is  my  captain." 

"But  I  am  your  admiral.  Why  did  he  part  com 
pany  with  us?" 

"  One  of  the  Indians  aboard  told  him  of  large  quan 
tities  of  gold  in  a  region  to  eastward.  And  his  ship 
being  the  best  sailor,  he  worked  to  windward  when 
the  others  were  obliged  to  put  back." 

"Did  he  find  the  golden  region?" 

"No,  admiral;  for  ten  days  he  was  entangled 
among  some  small  islands,  but  was  at  last  guided  to 
Hispaniola,  where  he  remained  three  weeks  trading 
with  the  Indians." 

"What  was  the  traffic?" 

"Gold.  He  traded  trinkets  for  gold,  which  he 
got  in  large  quantities.  One-half  he  kept,  and  one- 
half  divided  among  the  crew  to  secure  their  fidelity 
and  secrecy." 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM  235 

"And  where  was  he  going  when  sighted?" 

"I  don't  know,  but  I  believe  he  intended  to  return 
to  Spain." 

Cautioning  the  sailor  not  to  mention  the  interview, 
Columbus  dismissed  him.  The  admiral  repressed  his 
indignation  at  the  flagrant  breach  of  duty  and  men 
tioned  the  matter  to  no  one.  It  was  policy  to  make 
no  open  war  upon  Pinzon  during  the  voyage,  for 
he  had  a  powerful  party  of  relatives  and  townsmen 
aboard  the  armament.  To  such  a  degree  was  his 
confidence  in  his  associates  impaired,  that  Colum 
bus  resolved  to  return  to  Spain  at  once,  while  under 
more  favorable  circumstances  he  might  have  been 
tempted  to  explore  the  coast,  in  the  hope  of  freighting 
his  ship  with  treasure. 

Martin  Alonzo  and  his  brother  Vincent  had  mean 
while  been  engaged  in  a  long,  serious  conversation  in 
the  forward  part  of  the  ship.  As  Martin  Alonzo 
turned  about  to  quit  the  deck,  some  one  touched  his 
arm,  and  he  recognized  the  sailor  Miguel. 

"Well,  what  will  you?"  began  Martin  Alonzo. 

"Captain  —  great  captain,  can  you  vouchsafe  a 
word  with  me?" 

Pinzon  bent  a  steady  gaze  upon  the  mutineer. 
Had  he  possessed  the  power  to  turn  resolutely  from 
temptation,  it  would  have  saved  him  from  ruin,  dis 
grace,  disappointment,  and  an  untimely  death;  but, 
great  as  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was,  he  had  his  weak 
ness.  He  listened. 
•  "It  is  not  too  late  yet,"  his  evil  genius  whispered. 


236  COLUMBIA 

"Your  ship  is  a  superior  sailor,  and  could  soon  out 
distance  the  admiral.  Is  it  not  right  that  you  should 
save  your  vessel  and  crew,  and  that  some  one  should 
live  to  give  a  report  to  the  sovereigns?" 

The  devil  speaks  honeyed  words  for  his  purpose, 
and  is  armed  with  argument  so  plausible  that  no  one  can 
dispute  it;  and  but  for  the  small  voice  of  conscience, 
reason  would  be  swayed  like  a  reed  in  a  wind-storm. 

Columbus  sailed  with  Pinzon  back  to  the  coast 
where  he  had  been  trading,  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  Rio  de  Gracia.  Hernando  went  on  shore 
with  some  interpreters  to  talk  with  the  Indians.  On 
his  return,  he  said: 

"Admiral,  the  natives  make  complaint  that  Cap 
tain  Pinzon  has  carried  off  two  girls  and  four  men, 
who  are  yet  on  his  vessel." 

"Can  this  be  true?"  the  admiral  asked,  hardly 
prepared  to  believe  that  one  in  whom  he  had  reposed 
such  great  confidence  could  be  guilty  of  this  further 
act  of  dishonor. 

"They  say  it,  and  we  can  easily  ascertain." 

"Yes — I  will  go  aboard  at  once.  Come  with 
me." 

They  went  aboard  the  Pinta.  As  soon  as  Colum 
bus  had  gained  the  deck,  he  turned  to  Martin  Alonzo, 
and  asked: 

"  Have  you  four  men  and  two  girl  natives  prisoners 
on  board  your  ship?" 

"I  have." 

"What  do  you  propose  doing  with  them?" 


DESERTED— THE  STORM  237 

"Take  them  to  Spain  and  sell  them  as  slaves." 

"You  cannot." 

"Why?" 

"I  forbid  it,  and  demand  their  release." 

The  dumfounded  Pinzon  muttered  something 
about  their  being  prisoners  of  conquest. 

"I  will  have  no  people  forcibly  taken  from  the 
natives,  with  whom  we  are  on  the  most  friendly  rela 
tions.  They  must  be  released." 

"You  have  natives  aboard  your  own  ship?" 

"I  have,  but  they  go  willingly  and  are  not  to  be 
sold  as  slaves." 

Hot  words  passed,  but  Columbus  at  last  prevailed, 
and  the  prisoners  were  released,  loaded  down  with 
presents,  and  sent  on  shore.  Again  the  vessels 
weighed  anchor,  and  coasted  the  island  until  they 
came  to  a  beautiful  headland  to  which  Columbus  gave 
the  name  of  Capo  del  Enamorado,  or  Lovers'  Cape, 
now  known  as  Cape  Cabron.  A  little  beyond  this 
they  came  to  a  gulf  about  ten  miles  wide  and  extend 
ing  far  inland. 

"Let  us  land,"  said  Hernando  to  the  admiral.  "I 
see  people  on  shore,  who  are  quite  different  from  any 
with  whom  we  have  heretofore  met.  Perchance  they 
may  be  the  warlike  Caribs,  who  have  my  father  a 
prisoner." 

On  landing,  they  found  the  natives  the  opposite  of 
the  gentle  and  peaceful  people  whom  they  had  hereto 
fore  met  in  the  New  World.  They  were  ferocious- 
looking  creatures,  hideously  painted,  with  their  long 


238  COLUMBIA 

hair  tied  behind,  and  decorated  with  the  feathers  of 
parrots  and  other  birds  of  gaudy  plumage.  Some 
were  armed  with  war-clubs,  others  had  bows  of  the 
length  of  those  used  by  English  archers,  and  slender 
reeds  pointed  with  hard  wood,  stone,  bone,  or  the 
tooth  of  a  fish  for  arrows.  Their  swords  were  of 
palm-wood,  as  hard  and  heavy  as  iron,  and  capable 
of  cleaving  the  skull  at  a  single  blow. 

Hernando  told  the  interpreter  to  ask  them  if  they 
had  a  white  slave  among  them,  but  either  he  was  not 
understood  or  these  strange,  wild  people  cared  not  to 
answer,  and  the  lad  turned  away  with  a  sigh.  The 
Spaniards  bought  two  of  their  bows  and  a  few  arrows 
to  take  to  Spain,  and  one  warrior  was  even  induced  to 
go  on  ship-board. 

Columbus  believed  these  people  were  the  Caribs 
so  often  spoken  of  by  the  natives;  but  when  asked  if 
they  were,  the  warrior  pointed  beyond  to  the  east, 
where  lay  the  Caribbean,  and  mentioned  the  island  of 
Mantinino,  which  Columbus  fancied  him  to  say  was 
peopled  only  by  women. 

"That  is  the  island  mentioned  by  Marco  Polo." 
said  Columbus.  "The  inhabitants  are  women.  The 
men  live  on  another  island,  and  once  a  year  visit  the 
island  of  the  Amazons.  All  male  children  are  sent  to 
the  island  of  men,  allfemales  are  kept  by  the  Amazons." 

This  myth  was  only  another  of  the  mistakes  of 
Columbus.  Having  regaled  the  warrior  and  made 
him  numerous  presents,  Columbus  ordered  him  to 
be  put  in  the  boat  and  taken  ashore. 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM  239 

"The  natives  are  already  growing  uneasy,"  said 
Columbus,  "and  are  watching  us  even  now  from 
the  woods.  You  had  better  go  well  armed." 

Hernando  sitting  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  with 
the  warrior  at  his  side,  saw  over  fifty  of  the  savages 
lurking  in  the  woods,  with  bows,  arrows,  war-clubs, 
and  javelins. 

"There's  danger  there,"  he  whispered  to  his 
companions. 

The  warrior  arose  and  spoke  to  his  companions, 
and  they  immediately  laid  down  their  weapons  and 
came  to  meet  the  Spaniards.  Hernando  had  in 
structions  to  purchase  a  few  more  of  their  weapons, 
and  as  soon  as  the  Indians  had  gathered  about  them 
he  proposed  to  trade  for  some.  They  had  parted 
with  two  bows,  when  suddenly  one,  who  seemed  a 
chief,  uttered  the  war-cry  of  his  tribe.  In  a  moment 
every  savage  ran  to  his  weapons. 

"Look,  look!  they  are  going  to  fight!"  cried 
Hernando,  placing  his  arquebus  and  aiming  it. 
But  having  no  slow-match  light,  and  with  no 
time  to  get  one,  he  seized  his  cross-bow  and  pro 
ceeded  to  wind  it  up  with  a  double  crank.  The 
savages  returned  with  cords  as  if  to  bind  the  Span 
iards. 

Hernando's  companions  were  not  one  whit  behind 
him,  and  three  or  four  cross-bows  sent  bolts  flying 
among  the  natives.  The  lad  hit  a  savage  in  the 
right  shoulder,  another  was  wounded  in  the  arm, 
and  they  all  fled. 


240  COLUMBIA 

"Pursue  them,  cut  them  down!  "  cried  the  angry 
sailors,  one  of  whom  had  been  slightly  bruised  by 
a  javelin  striking  his  cuirass. 

"Hold!  Don't  pursue  them!  "  cried  Hernando, 
who  commanded  the  boat.  "We  have  wounded 
two  and  put  all  to  flight;  enough.  We  will  return 
to  the  caravel." 

This  was  the  first  encounter  between  the  white 
men  of  the  Old  World  and  the  savages  of  the  New. 
Columbus  was  grieved  to  see  that  all  his  exertions  to 
maintain  an  amicable  intercourse  were  in  vain.  He 
consoled  himself,  however,  that  if  these  were  Caribs 
or  frontier  Indians  of  a  warlike  character,  they  would 
be  inspired  with  a  dread  of  the  force  and  weapons 
of  the  \vhite  man,  and  deterred  from  molesting  the 
little  garrison  at  Fort  Nativity.  They  were  in  fact 
a  bold,  hardy  race,  inhabiting  a  mountainous  dis 
trict  called  Ciguay,  extending  five  and  twenty  leagues 
along  the  coast,  and  several  leagues  into  the  interior. 
They  differed  in  language,  features,  and  manner  from 
the  other  natives  of  the  island,  possessing  the  rude 
but  independent  and  vigorous  character  of  moun 
taineers. 

The  day  after  the  skirmish  a  multitude  of  the 
natives  appeared  on  the  beach,  and  the  admiral 
sent  a  boat-load  of  well-armed  sailors  to  meet  them, 
and  learn  if  they  still  entertained  feelings  of  hostility. 
Their  conduct  betokened  of  freedom  and  confidence, 
evincing  neither  fear  nor  enmity.  The  cacique  who 
ruled  over  the  neighboring  country  was  on  shore; 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM 


241 


he  sent  to  the  boat  a  string  of  beads  formed  of  small, 
hard  shells,  which  Columbus  understood  to  be  a  token 
and  assurance  of  amity.  The  white  men  were  not 

yet  fully  aware  of  the 
meaning  of  this  sym 
bol — the  wampum  belt 
— the  pledge  of  peace, 
held  sacred  among  all 
the  Indians  of  the  New 
World. 


A  MULTITUDE  OF  NATIVES. 

Columbus  named  this  gulf  Gulfo  de  las  Flechas, 
or  the  Gulf  of  Arrows,  it  being  the  place  where  the 
first  encounter  had  occurred,  and  arrows  being  the 
chief  weapons  used;  but  the  name  has  been  changed, 
and  today  it  is  known  as  the  Gulf  of  Samana.  An 
hour  before  daylight,  on  January  the  16th,  1493, 

Vol.  1—16 


242  COLUMBIA 

taking  advantage  of  a  light  and  favorable  wind,  the 
Spanish  vessels  took  their  departure. 

Columbus  first  steered  to  the  northeast,  in  which 
direction  the  young  Indians  with  them  assured  him 
he  would  find  the  island  of  the  Caribs  and  that  of 
Mantinino,  the  abode  of  the  Amazons;  it  being  the 
admiral's  desire  to  take  several  of  the  natives  of  each 
to  present  to  the  sovereigns  of  Aragon  and  Castile. 
After  sailing  about  sixteen  leagues,  the  Indian  guides 
changed  and  pointed  southeast,  toward  Porto  Rico, 
which  was  probably  known  to  the  natives  as  the  island 
of  Carib.  But  before  they  had  gone  two  leagues  on 
the  new  course,  a  favorable  breeze  for  the  return  to 
Spain  sprang  up,  Columbus  determined  to  to  take 
advantage  of  it,  and  at  once  made  sail  for  home. 

"You  must  bear  us  company  on  our  return," 
was  the  order  of  Columbus  to  the  commander  of  the 
Pinta. 

Though  Pinzon  promised  that  he  would,  the  ad 
miral  had  begun  to  lose  faith  not  only  in  him,  but  in 
his  brother  and  the  pilots.  Great  profits  and  honors 
were  to  be  reaped,  and  the  Pinzons  were  human; 
they  possessed  their  jealousies  and  envy,  and  it 
was  but  natural  that  they  should  become  moody 
over  the  reflections  that,  but  for  their  aid,  this  man 
would  never  have  earned  such  glory. 

Columbus  had  so  often  found  the  Pinzons,  the 
pilots,  and  Miguel  the  mutineer  engaged  in  secret 
whispered  consultations,  that  he  had  come  to  fear 
the  worst  for  the  outcome  of  the  voyage. 


DESERTED— THE  STORM  243 

The  trade  winds,  which  had  been  favorable  on 
the  voyage  out,  were  equally  adverse  on  the  return. 
The  promising  breeze  soon  died  away,  and  through 
out  the  remainder  of  January  the  light  winds  which 
prevailed  from  the  east  prevented  any  very  great 
progress.  The  foremast  of  the  Pinta  had  been  sprung, 
so  she  could  carry  but  little  sail:  this  also  detained 
them.  The  weather  was  mild  and  pleasant,  and  the 
sea  so  calm  that  the  Indians  whom  they  were  taking 
to  Spain  frequently  plunged  into  the  water  and  swam 
about  the  ships.  They  killed  several  tunny  fish  and 
one  large  shark,  the  former  adding  considerable  to 
their  low  stock  of  provisions. 

Besides  keeping  a  careful  reckoning  Columbus 
was  a  vigilant  and  careful  observer  of  those  indica 
tions  furnished  by  the  sea,  air,  and  sky.  The  fate 
of  all,  in  that  unknown  region  which  he  had  trav 
ersed,  often  depended  on  these  observations.  On 
the  10th  of  February  Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon  and 
the  pilots  Ruiz  and  Bartolomeo  Roldon,  who  were  on 
board  the  admiral's  ship,  examined  the  charts  and 
compared  the  reckonings  to  determine  their  situa 
tion,  but  could  come  to  no  agreement. 

"Let  us  confer  with  the  admiral,"  said  Pinzon. 
When  Columbus  had  their  account  of  the  reckon 
ing,  he  said  to  himself: 

"Both  are  wrong.  They  think  they  are  one 
hundred  and  fifty  leagues  nearer  Spain  than  they 
are,  and  in  the  latitude  of  Madeira;  whereas  I  know 
we  are  nearly  in  the  direction  of  the  Azores." 


244  COLUMBIA 

He  listened  to  them,  but  gave  them  no  informa 
tion  calculated  to  enlighten  them.  When  they 
were  gone  from  his  cabin,  he  turned  to  Hernando 
and  said: 

"They  are  five  hundred  miles  off  the  true  reck 
oning.  The  suppression  of  the  true  calculation  is 
of  great  advantage  to  us." 

"Why  did  you  not  tell  them  all,  and  give  them 
the  true  reckoning?  " 

"My  lad,  they  would  then  be  as  wise  as  I,  while  I 
prefer  to  leave  them  in  error,  and  would  rather  add 
to  their  perplexity  than  clear  the  matter  up  for  them." 

"Why  do  thus,  admiral?  " 

"They  will  have  but  a  confused  idea  of  the  voyage, 
at  best,  and  I  doubt  if  any  of  them  could  return. 
I  alone  will  possess  a  clear  knowledge  of  the  route. 
There  is  so  much  treachery  among  us  that  I  have 
learned  it  is  best  to  keep  my  own  secrets." 

This  was  a  lesson  of  wisdom  and  sagacity  which 
Hernando  never  forgot.  On  the  12th  of  February,  as 
they  were  congratulating  themselves  that  they  would 
soon  reach  the  land,  which  many  had  almost  given 
up  all  hope  of  ever  beholding  again,  the  wind  rose 
and  the  sea  ran  high,  though  they  still  kept  their 
eastward  course.  On  the  following  day,  after  sun 
set,  the  wind  and  swell  increased,  and  flashes  of 
lightning  to  the  northeast  gave  warning  of  an  ap 
proaching  storm. 

Hernando  stood  on  deck  by  the  side  of  Colum 
bus,  trusting  in  him  as  in  a  father. 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM  245 

"I  fear  we  are  going  to  have  a  tempest  which 
will  try  our  crazy  vessels  to  their  utmost,"  said  the 
admiral.  "Be  prepared  to  die." 

"I  am  prepared,  admiral,  for  any  ordeal,"  the 
lad  bravely  answered,  "and  if  death  comes,  I  shall 
not  shrink  from  it.  One  favor  I  crave." 

"What  is  it?" 

"Let  me  stay  at  your  side." 

"It  is  granted." 

"Then  I  am  ready  for  storm  and  shipwreck." 

The  scene  was  grand  and  imposing  —  one  calcu 
lated  to  strike  the  beholder  with  awe  and  admiration. 
The  heavens  were  black,  and  the  world  was 
shrouded  in  darkness.  The  angry,  leaping  waters 
swirled  in  the  shrieking  wind.  Every  billow,  which 
gathered  force  and  rose  in  its  might  in  their  wake, 
came  roaring  on  like  some  furious  monster  determined 
on  destruction,  until  it  broke  in  crested  splendor 
over  the  stern  of  their  frail  craft,  driving  it  on 
beam-ends.  The  whole  surface  of  the  sea  was  a 
white  sheet  of  foam,  filled  with  deep,  yawning  pits, 
and  black,  unfathomable  chasms.  The  white  fleecy 
foam  driven  horizontally  even  to  the  very  decks 
of  the  vessels  looked  like  snow  issuing  from  the 
bosom  of  the  ocean.  The  horizon  portended  a  last 
ing  tempest;  sky  and  water  seemed  to  blend.  Thick 
masses  of  clouds  of  frightful  shape  swept  across  the 
zenith  with  the  swiftness  of  birds,  while  others  ap 
peared  motionless  as  columns  of  stone.  Not  a  single 
spot  of  blue  sky  could  be  discerned  in  the  whole 


246  COLUMBIA 

firmament,  and  a  pale  yellow  gleam  lighted  up  all 
objects  of  the  sea  and  the  skies. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  there  was  a  lull 
and  they  made  a  little  sail;  but  just  as  the  fright 
ened  sailors  were  beginning  to  hope,  the  wind  again 
rose  from  the  south,  with  redoubled  fury,  and  raged 
throughout  the  day,  increasing  in  violence  as  night 
approached;  while  the  vessels  rocked  terribly  in 
the  cross-sea,  the  broken  waves  threatening  to  over 
whelm  them. 

For  three  days  they  kept  just  sail  enough  to  run 
ahead  of  the  waves  and  prevent  foundering;  but, 
the  tempest  still  augmenting,  they  were  obliged  to 
scud  before  the  wind.  In  the  darkness  of  night  they 
lost  sight  of  the  Pinta.  The  admiral  kept  as  much 
as  possible  to  the  northeast,  to  approach  the  coast 
of  Spain;  and  he  signaled  for  the  Pinta  to  do  the 
same  and  keep  in  company  with  him.  Martin  Alonzo 
afterward  claimed  that  owing  to  the  weakness  of  her 
foremast,  he  was  compelled  to  scud  before  the 
wind  directly  north.  For  some  time  the  Pinta 
answered  the  signals,  but  soon  her  lights  gleamed 
more  and  more  distant,  until  they  were  lost  in 
the  gloom  and  darkness.  Had  she  been  swallowed 
up  in  the  ocean,  or  was  the  Pinta  in  reality  deserting 
Columbus  in  his  sore  distress?  When  day  dawned, 
Columbus,  who  had  passed  a  sleepless  night,  vainly 
swept  the  frightful  waste  of  broken  waves,  lashed 
into  a  fury  by  the  gale.  There  was  no  sign  of  the 
Pinta. 


DESERTED  —  THE  STORM  247 

"I  fear  she  has  gone  down/'  he  said.  His  words 
fell  on  the  ears  of  Miguel  at  his  side,  and  the  mutineer, 
uttering  a  smothered  curse,  added  under  his  breath: 

"Why  didn't  the  fool  go  to  Spain  weeks  ago?" 

The  sun  rose  and  the  wind  and  waves  rose  with 
it,  and  through  the  dreary  day  the  almost  helpless 
ship  was  driven  by  the  fury  of  the  tempest.  As 
evening  approached  Columbus  mustered  the  crew 
in  the  forward  part  of  the  ship  and  said: 

"All  human  skill  is  baffled  and  confounded  by 
the  warring  elements,  arid  there  alone  remains  to 
us  to  propitiate  Heaven  by  solemn  vows  and  acts  of 
penance.  Take  a  number  of  beans,  equal  the  num 
ber  of  persons  on  board,  cut  the  cross  on  one,  and 
put  them  all  in  a  cap;  then  let  each  of  the  crew 
make  a  vow,  that,  should  he  draw  the  marked  bean, 
he  will  make  a  pilgrimage  to  the  shrine  of  Santa 
Maria  de  Guadalupe,  bearing  a  wax  taper  of  five 
pounds  weight." 

The  crew  all  assented,  and  each  made  the  vow. 
The  admiral  was  first  to  put  in  his  hand,  and  the  lot 
fell  on  him.  Holding  the  marked  bean  in  his  hand, 
he  solemnly  said: 

"From  this  moment  I  shall  consider  myself  a  pil 
grim,  bound  to  perform  the  vow." 

As  the  storm  still  raged,  a  second  lot  was  cast  in 
the  same  manner  for  a  pilgrimage  to  the  chapel  of 
Our  Lady  of  Loretto.  This  fell  upon  a  sailor  named 
Pedro  de  Villa,  and  Columbus  at  once  agreed  to  bear 
the  expenses  of  the  journey.  A  third  lot  was  also 


248  COLUMBIA 

drawn  for  a  pilgrimage  to  Santa  Clara  de  Moguer  to 
perform  a  solemn  Mass  and  watch  all  night  in  the 
chapel,  and  this  also  fell  on  Columbus. 

Columbus  feared  that  the  Pinta  had  gone  down 
rather  than  that  he  had  been  deserted.  Should  his 
own  feeble  bark  perish,  his  great  discoveries  would 
be  lost,  swallowed  up  in  the  ocean.  The  storm  raged 
still  more  furious  than  before. 

"Why  not  write  out  your  discoveries,  put  the 
account  in  a  cask  and  throw  it  overboard?  It  may 
reach  Spain,"  suggested  Hernando. 

It  was  a  bare  hope,  but  Columbus  adopted  the 
plan.  He  wrote  an  account  of  the  voyage  and  dis 
coveries,  and  of  his  having  taken  possession  of  the 
newly  found  lands  in  the  name  of  their  Catholic 
majesties.  This  he  sealed  and  directed  to  the  king 
and  queen;  superscribing  a  promise  of  a  thousand 
ducats  to  whomsoever  should  deliver  the  packet 
unopened.  He  then  wrapped  it  in  waxed  cloth, 
which  he  placed  in  the  center  of  a  cake  of  wax,  and 
enclosing  the  whjole  in  a  large  barrel,  threw  it  into 
the  sea,  pretending  to  his  crew  that  he  was  performing 
some  religious  vow.  Fearing  that  this  memorial 
would  never  reach  the  land,  he  enclosed  another 
copy  in  a  similar  manner  and  placed  it  on  the  poop, 
so  that,  should  the  caravel  be  swallowed  up  by  the 
waves,  the  barrel  might  float  off  and  survive. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    ASSASSIN    FOILED. 

IT  is  an  indication  of  the  great  unselfish  nature 
of  Columbus,  that  even  in  the  midst  of  personal 
danger,  with  death  staring  him  in  the  face,  he  should 
think  of  his  discoveries  rather  than  his  own  safety. 
The  measures  he  had  taken  relieved  his  anxiety  to 
a  slight  extent,  but  he  was  far  more  at  ease  when, 
after  heavy  showers,  there  appeared  at  sunset  a 
streak  of  clear  sky  in  the  west,  giving  hope  that  the 
wind  was  about  to  shift.  This  hope  was  con 
firmed,  for  a  favorable  breeze  sprang  up,  though 
the  sea  still  ran  so  high  that  there  was  great  danger 
of  being  overwhelmed  and  foundered  by  the  waves. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  February  the 
storm  had  considerably  abated,  and  the  sea,  which 
had  been  for  days  lashed  into  a  fury,  was  growing 
calmer  every  hour.  At  dawn  of  day  Columbus  was 
on  deck,  with  his  young  friend,  as  usual,  at  his 
side. 

"Let  me  go  to  the  maintop,  admiral;  my  eyes 
are  sharp  and  accustomed  to  long  distances." 

"The  waves  still  run  high." 

"Not  so  high  as  yesterday,  and  I  was  in  the  foretop 
for  hours  then." 

249 


250  COLUMBIA 

• 

"Go,  but  have  a  care;  I  would  as  soon  lose  my  own 
son." 

The  active  boy  ran  quickly  up  the  rigging  and 
had  scarcely  gained  the  position  when  Rui  Garcia,  a 
mariner,  cried: 

"Land  — land,  ho!" 

The  shout  was  taken  up  on  deck  and  the  cry  of 
"Land,  land!"  rang  out  over  the  wild  waters. 

Poor,  weary  souls,  worn  out  with  long  continued 
battling  with  the  tempest,  the  sailors  had  dropped 
down  on  deck  to  catch  a  moment's  sleep,  but  they  now 
started  up  with  transports  of  joy  at  once  more  gain 
ing  sight  of  the  Old  World. 

As  the  sun  rose  in  a  cloudless  sky  it  revealed  the 
shore  lying  east-northeast,  directly  over  the  prow  of 
the  caravel,  and  the  pilots  at  once  began  to  dispute 
as  to  what  land  it  was.  One  said  it  was  the  island  of 
Madeira;  another,  that  it  was  the  rock  of  Cintra  near 
Lisbon;  while  Columbus,  from  his  private  reckonings 
and  observations,  concluded  it  to  be  one  of  the  Azores. 
A  nearer  approach  proved  it  to  be  an  island;  it  was 
but  five  leagues  distant,  and  the  voyagers  were  con 
gratulating  themselves  on  the  assurance  of  being 
speedily  in  port,  when  the  wind  veered  again  to  the 
east-northeast,  blowing  directly  from  the  land,  while  a 
heavy  swell  kept  rolling  from  the  west. 

For  two  days  they  hovered  about  the  island, 
always  in  sight  but  unable  to  get  into  port,  or  to  reach 
the  other  island  of  which  they  caught  occasional 
glimpses  through  the  mist  and  rack  of  tempest.  On 


THE  ASSASSIN  FOILED  251 

the  evening  of  the  17th  they  approached  near  enough 
to  the  first  island  to  cast  anchor,  but,  their  cable  part 
ing,  they  had  to  put  to  sea  again,  where  they  remained 
beating  about  until  the  following  morning,  when 
they  anchored  under  shelter  of  its  northern  side. 
Columbus  had  been  in  such  a  state  of  agitation  for 
several  days  that  he  had  scarcely  taken  food  or  sleep. 
Although  suffering  with  rheumatism,  he  had  kept  his 
post  on  deck,  exposed  to. the  wintry  cold,  the  pelt 
ing  storm,  and  drenching  surges  of  the  sea.  On  the 
night  of  the  17th  he  fell  asleep,  more  from  exhaus 
tion  than  tranquillity  of  mind.  Had  one-tenth  the 
perils  and  difficulties  beset  them  on  their  outward 
voyage  that  they  encountered  on  their  return,  his 
timid  and  factious  crew  would  have  rebelled  against 
the  enterprise,  thrown  him  into  the  sea,  and  returned 
home. 

The  island  they  had  made  was  St.  Mary's,  one  of 
the  southern  Azores,  and  a  possession  of  the  crown  of 
Portugal.  The  admiral's  trials  were  not  yet  over. 
Miguel,  one  of  the  first  to  land,  set  off  to  find  Juan  de 
Castaneda,  the  governor  of  St.  Mary's,  and  to  en 
deavor,  partly  by  truth  but  mostly  by  falsehood,  to 
rouse  him  against  Columbus. 

On  the  following  morning  Columbus  reminded  his 
people  of  their  vow  to  perform  a  pious  procession  at 
the  first  place  at  which  they  should  land.  There  was 
to  be  seen  from  the  ship,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
sea,  a  small  hermitage  or  chapel  dedicated  to  the  Vir 
gin,  and  arrangements  were  immediately  made  for  the 


252  COLUMBIA 

performance  of  the  rite.  Three  messengers,  returning 
to  the  village,  sent  a  priest  to  perform  mass,  and  one- 
half  of  the  crew,  landing,  walked  barefoot  to  the 
chapel;  while  Columbus,  with  the  other  half,  awaited 
their  return  to  perform  a  like  ceremony. 

The  mariners  entered  the  little  chapel,  but  had 
scarcely  begun  their  prayers  and  thanksgiving  when 
the  soldiers  and  citizens  of  the  village,  horse  and  foot, 
headed  by  the  governor,  surrounded  the  hermitage 
and  made  all  prisoners.  This  was  indeed  an  ungen 
erous  reception  for  the  poor,  tempest-tossed  mariners 
on  their  first  return  to  the  abode  of  civilized  man  — 
far  different  from  the  hospitality  extended  to  them  by 
the  savages  of  the  New  World.  Miguel,  who  had  been 
one  of  the  instigators  of  the  trouble,  kept  out  of  sight, 
and  his  comrades  were  in  ignorance  of  his  guilt  in  the 
affair.  History  makes  no  mention  of  it,  but  his 
design,  we  need  hardly  say,  was  the  capture  and  de 
struction  of  the  admiral  and  Hernando. 

Columbus  was  unable  to  see  the  hermitage  from 
the  deck  of  the  Nina  owing  to  an  intervening  point 
of  land,  and  growing  uneasy  at  the  long  delay,  weighed 
anchor  and  stood  in  a  little  nearer  where  he  could  see 
the  shore.  The  first  object  that  met  his  view  was  a 
number  of  armed  horsemen  dismounting  and  entering 
a  boat. 

"They  are  coming  to  us,"  said  the  amazed  Colum 
bus. 

"Yes,  admiral,  they  intend  to  fight." 
The  suspicions  of  Columbus  were  at  once  aroused, 


THE  ASSASSIN  FOILED  253 

for  he  knew  the  hostility  of  the  Portuguese  to  his 
enterprise.  He  ordered  his  men  to  arm  themselves 
and  keep  out  of  sight,  though  near  at  hand,  to  either 
defend  the  vessel  or  surprise  the  boat,  as  occasion 
might  require.  As  the  boat  drew  nearer,  he  dis 
covered  the  governor  in  it.  When  within  hailing 
distance,  the  governor  called  out:  "May  I  come 
aboard?" 

"Certainly,  if  your  visit  is  a  peaceable  one."  The 
boat,  however,  still  remained  at  a  distance,  and 
Columbus,  unable  longer  to  contain  himself,  now  cried 
out: 

"Governor  Castaneda,  where  are  my  men,  whom 
I  sent  ashore  to  do  penance  at  your  chapel?  Have 
you  made  them  prisoners,  wronging  the  Spanish 
monarchs  and  your  own  sovereigns?" 

"Who  are  you?"  demanded  the  governor. 

"Christopher  Columbus,  lord  admiral  of  the  high 
seas,  viceroy  and  governor-general  of  the  new  coun 
tries  I  have  discovered,"  and  Columbus  displayed  his 
letters  patent,  stamped  with  the  royal  seal  of  Castile. 
"Release  my  men  and  send  them  aboard,  or  you  may 
look  for  the  vengeance  of  Spain." 

Castaneda  replied  in  a  voice  of  contempt: 

"I  have  no  fear  of  your  sovereigns,  my  lord  ad 
miral.  They  have  had  enough  to  do  to  drive  out  the 
Moors.  What  I  have  done  has  been  under  instruc 
tions  of  my  king  and  sovereign." 

"Then  your  conduct  will  provoke  a  war  between 
Spain  and  Portugal." 


254  COLUMBIA 

The  boat  with  the  governor  returned  to  shore,  and 
Columbus,  unable  to  decide  what  course  to  pursue, 
continued  to  beat  around  the  island  without  gaining 
any  satisfactory  information  until  the  22d,  when  they 
returned  to  their  anchorage  at  St.  Mary's.  A  boat 
bringing  off  two  priests  and  a  notary  now  pulled  to  the 
ship. 

"What  is  your  wish?"  demanded  Columbus,  when 
they  came  in  hailing  distance. 

"We  want  to  see  your  papers,"  the  notary  an 
swered. 

"Come  aboard  and  examine  them." 

With  some  degree  of  caution  they  came  aboard  the 
caravel,  and  the  notary  said: 

"Governor  Castaneda  is  disposed  to  render  you 
every  service  he  can,  if  you  really  sail  in  service  of  the 
Spanish  sovereigns." 

"There  are  my  papers,"  answered  Columbus,  and 
he  showed  them  to  the  priests  and  notary,  who  seemed 
satisfied.  On  the  following  day  the  prisoners  were 
liberated,  and  all,  save  Miguel,  came  on  board.  He,  no 
doubt  fearing  the  punishment  he  so  richly  merited, 
kept  aloof  from  the  admiral. 

The  mariners,  during  their  detention,  had  collected 
information  which  threw  some  light  on  the  conduct  of 
Castaneda.  The  king  of  Portugal,  jealous  lest  the 
expedition  of  Columbus  might  interfere  with  his  own 
discoveries,  had  sent  orders  to  his  commanders  of  dis 
tant  ports  to  seize  and  detain  Columbus  if  the  oppor 
tunity  presented  itself.  Castaneda,  acting  on  those 


THE  ASSASSIN  FOILED  255 

orders,  had  in  the  first  instance  hoped  to  surprise 
Columbus  in  the  chapel,  and,  failing  in  that,  had  at 
tempted  to  get  him  in  his  power  by  stratagem,  but 
was  balked  by  finding  Columbus  on  guard. 

For  two  days  longer  the  admiral  remained  at  St. 
Mary's,  endeavoring  to  take  in  wood  and  ballast,  but 
was  prevented  by  the  heavy  surf  which  broke  on  the 
shore.  On  the  24th  he  again  set  sail  for  Spain,  and 
on  the  27th,  when  within  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  leagues  of  Cape  Vincent,  encountered  another 
furious  gale.  The  nearer  he  approached  home  the 
more  boisterous  grew  the  sea,  and  he  could  not  help 
feeling  that  he  was  being  repulsed,  as  it  were,  "from 
the  very  door  of  the  house."  The  poor,  tempest- 
tossed  admiral  one  day  said  to  Hernando: 

"Well  may  the  sacred  theologians  and  sage  phil 
osophers  declare  that  the  terrestrial  paradise  is  in  the 
utmost  extremity  of  the  East,  for  it  is  the  most  tem 
perate  of  regions." 

On  the  2d  of  March  the  caravel  was  struck  by 
a  squall  of  wind  which  tore  off  her  sails  and  forced 
her  to  scud  under  bare  poles.  Again  they  were 
threatened  with  destruction,  and  another  lot  was 
cast  for  a  pilgrimage,  barefoot,  to  the  shrine  of  Santa 
Maria  de  la  Cueva,  in  Huelva,  and,  as  usual,  the  lot 
fell  to  Columbus.  There  was  something  singular 
in  the  recurrence  of  this  circumstance.  Las  Casas 
devoutly  considers  it  as  an  intimation  from  the 
Deity  to  the  admiral  that  these  storms  were  all  on  his 
account,  to  humble  his  pride  and  prevent  his  taking 


256  COLUMBIA 

to  himself  the  credit  of  a  discovery  which  was  the 
work  of  God. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  at  daybreak,  they  found 
themselves  off  the  rock  of  Cintra,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Tagus,  and  much  as  they  had  cause  to  mistrust  the 
Portuguese,  Columbus  was  forced  to  run  in  for  shelter. 
Accordingly,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  he 
anchored  opposite  to  the  Rastello,  to  the  great  joy  of 
the  crew,  who  returned  thanks  to  God  for  their  es 
cape  from  so  many  perils. 

Immediately  on  his  arrival  Columbus  despatched 
a  courier  to  the  king  and  queen  of  Spain  with  tidings 
of  his  discoveries,  and  also  wrote  to  the  king  of  Portu 
gal,  then  at  Valparaiso,  requesting  permission  to  go 
with  his  vessel  to  Lisbon.  A  report  had  got  abroad 
that  the  Nina  was  laden  with  gold  and  he  felt  inse 
cure  at  Rastello. 

On  the  following  day  Columbus  was  summoned 
on  board  a  Portuguese  man-of  war,  but  he  asserted 
his  rank  and  refused  to  leave  his  vessel.  The  cap 
tain  then  came  on  board  the  caravel  and  tendered 
his  services  to  Columbus. 

"Admiral,"  said  Hernando,  when  the  captain  had 
departed,  "I  was  on  shore  today,  and  while  there  saw 
Miguel." 

"What!  I  thought  him  lost.  I  have  not  seen 
him  since  we  left  St.  Mary's,"  answered  Columbus. 

"He  is  here;  and  I  have  every  reason  to  believe 
that  it  is  he  who  is  spreading  all  these  stories  about 
wealth  aboard.  He  means  us  no  good." 


THE  ASSASSIN  ROILED  257 

"Watch  him,  my  lad." 

"It  is  my  purpose." 

Columbus  received  permission  to  go  to  Lisbon; 
also  a  request  to  call  upon  King  John.  Columbus 
would  gladly  have  declined  the  royal  invitation,  but 
much  as  he  distrusted  the  Portuguese  king  he  dared 
not  refuse.  His  messenger  had  already  gone  by  an 
overland  route  to  Spain,  and  he  soon  hoped  for  fair 
weather  to  bear  his  shattered  bark  to  Palos.  He 
sailed  to  Lisbon  and  prepared  to  set  out  for  Val 
paraiso. 

"May  I  accompany  you,  admiral?"  asked  Her- 
nando.  The  lad,  on  account  of  his  ceaseless  vigil 
and  constant  watching,  was  almost  broken  down. 
His  eyes  were  sunken,  his  face  pale,  with  a  hectic 
flush  on  his  cheek  that  the  admiral  thought  alarming. 

"No,  Hernando,  you  must  have  rest.  The 
weather  is  rainy  and  you  should  not  expose  your 
self.  I  will  have  attendants." 

On  the  second  day  after  his  arrival  Columbus  set 
out  for  the  king's  palace,  and  was  met  by  the  princi 
pal  cavaliers  of  the  monarch's  household,  who  came 
out  to  meet  him  and  conduct  him  in  great  pomp  to 
the  palace. 

He  did  not  see  a  pair  of  evil  eyes  watching  him, 
nor  did  he  recognize  the  crafty  face  of  Miguel  Gan- 
zola,  the  mutineer. 

"I  will  slay  him  yet,"  Miguel  hissed.  "I  began 
for  reward.  I  will  end  for  hate.  " 

The  admiral  was  royally  entertained  by   King 

Vol.  1—17 


258  COLUMBIA 

John.  Columbus  was  ordered  to  seat  himself  in  the 
king's  presence,  an  honor  granted  only  to  persons  of 
royal  dignity,  and  after  many  congratulations  on  his 
safe  return,  the  king  made  minute  inquiries  about 
the  soil,  the  land,  the  people,  and  the  gold  in  the 
newly  discovered  regions.  He  was  deeply  chagrined 
that  by  his  lack  of  faith  in  Columbus,  he  had  allowed 
his  rivals  to  win  so  rich  a  prize.  Some  historians 
claim  that  the  Portuguese  were  so  envious  that  they 
determined  to  put  Columbus  to  death.  They  have 
doubtless  confused  the  acts  of  Miguel  with  the 
designs  of  King  John. 

One  historian  says: 

"Seeing  the  king  much  perturbed  in  spirit,  some 
even  went  so  far  as  to  propose,  as  a  means  of  imped 
ing  the  prosecution  of  these  enterprises,  that  Colum 
bus  should  be  assassinated;  declaring  that  he 
deserved  death  for  attempting  to  deceive  and  em 
broil  the  two  nations  by  his  pretended  discoveries. 
It  was  suggested  that  his  assassination  might  be 
accomplished  without  incurring  any  odium.  Ad 
vantage  might  be  taken  of  his  lofty  deportment  to 
pique  his  pride,  provoke  him  into  an  altercation,  and 
then  despatch  him,  as  if  in  casual  and  honorable 
encounter." 

King  John  has  left  a  fair  reputation  for  honor 
and  it  is  very  doubtful  if  he  ever  contemplated  any 
such  crime.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  such  dastardly 
counsel  could  have  even  been  proposed  to  a  monarch 
who,  in  spite  of  the  humiliation  which  he  unques- 


THE  ASSASSIN  FOILED  259 

tionably  suffered  when  Columbus  returned  covered 
with  glory  from  his  discoveries,  extended  to  him  all 
the  honors  due  a  distinguished  benefactor  of  man 
kind. 

Miguel,  the  hired  assassin,  may  have  ingratiated 
himself  into  the  favor  of  people  of  all  ranks,  poison 
ing  their  minds  against  the  man  he  had  grown  to 
hate,  and  it  was  no  doubt  his  conduct  which  gave 
rise  to  the  current  report  which  has  been  handed 
down  in  history  by  Portuguese,  as  well  as  Spanish, 
authorities.  Other  counsel,  in  which  there  was  a 
mixture  of  craft  and  courage,  was  more  relished  by 
the  king,  and  he  resolved  privately,  before  Columbus 
had  left  Portugal,  to  fit  out  a  powerful  expedition, 
under  command  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
captains  of  the  age,  Don  Francisco  de  Almeida,  and 
take  possession  of  the  newly  discovered  country; 
possession  then,  as  now,  being  considered  the  best 
claim  and  an  appeal  to  arms  the  clearest  mode  of  set 
tling  so  doubtful  a  question.  Columbus  after  leav 
ing  the  king  paid  his  respects  to  the  queen,  and  then 
set  out  for  Lisbon,  hoping  soon  to  return  to  Palos. 

Hernando  Estevan  not  unlike  his  master  was 
often  swayed  by  secret  impulses.  It  was  an  age 
of  superstition  and  one  cannot  wonder  that  Her 
nando  was  moved  by  his  impressions.  Some  omin 
ous  voice  seemed  whispering  to  him  that  Columbus, 
the  man  whom  he  had  come  to  love  almost  as  a  father, 
was  in  danger.  This  feeling  arose,  no  doubt,  from 
the  presence  of  the  mutineer  in  Portugal.  Miguel 


260  COLUMBIA 

had  been  seen  in  Lisbon  and  Valparaiso,  and  it  was 
thought  that  his  presence  boded  no  good  to  the  safety 
and  welfare  of  the  admiral. 

Columbus  had  already  been  detained  two  or  three 
days  longer  than  necessary,  and  Hernando,  stealing 
ashore  at  night,  procured  a  horse  and  armed  only 
with  his  sword  and  dagger  set  off  to  find  him.  Never 
sallied  forth  a  knight-errant  with  stouter  heart  or 
more  trusty  blade.  Though  young  in  years,  he 
was  old  in  the  science  of  war.  Setting  out  alone, 
without  even  a  guide,  he  rode  over  the  rough  and 
dangerous  road  between  Lisbon  and  Valparaiso. 
Night  had  set  in  before  he  began  his  journey.  And 
a  dark  night  it  was  —  not  a  single  star  appeared  in 
the  heavens. 

Unacquainted  with  the  road  though  he  was,  the 
lad  pushed  boldly  on,  up  hill  and  down,  until  he 
came  to  where  the  way  wound  through  a  forest. 
He  was  just  thinking  that  this  would  be  an  excell 
ent  spot  for  an  assassin  to  waylay  an  unsuspecting 
victim,  when  the  sound  of  hoofs  reached  his  ears. 
The  lad  drew  rein,  with  the  approaching  horseman 
but  a  few  rods  away.  From  the  clank  of  arms  he  at 
first  supposed  him  to  be  a  soldier;  but  the  awkward 
ness  of  the  fellow  as  he  dismounted,  dragging  his 
heavy  matchlock  after  him  convinced  Hernando 
that  he  was  not  an  expert  horseman.  The  lad  rode 
into  the  bushes,  determined  to  know  more  of  the 
strange  traveler.  Having  become  accustomed  to 
the  darkness,  he  was  enabled  to  make  out  the  out- 


THE  ASSASSIN  FOILED  261 

lines  of  a  thick-set,  stoop-shouldered  man,  whose 
garb  was  that  of  a  sailor. 

"I  know  him,"  the  youth  said  to  himself. 

Dismounting,  Hernando  made  his  horse  fast  to  a 
tree,  and,  drawing  his  long,  keen  dagger,  he  crept  a 
little  nearer.  There  was  a  slight  jingling  of  iron 
rods  as  if  the  stranger  was  setting  the  rest  of  his  arque 
bus  to  get  it  ready  for  firing,  and  he  saw  the  glow  of 
a  slow-match. 

Then  there  came  on  the  air  the  tramp  of  other 
horses.  Hernando  at  once  surmised  that  the  man 
with  the  arquebus  was  an  assassin  lying  in  wait  for 
his  victim.  Some  of  the  party  of  advancing  horse 
men  bore  links  which  lighted  up  the  road,  but  failed 
to  penetrate  the  dense  wood  in  which  Hernando 
was  watching.  A  voice  was  at  this  moment  heard  to 
say: 

"It  can  scarcely  be  three  leagues  to  the  port,  and 
I  am  anxious,  the  wind  being  fair  and  God  willing,  to 
sail  to-morrow." 

"It  is  the  admiral,  and  this  is  an  assassin  sent  to 
kill  him,"  thought  the  youth. 

Dagger  in  hand,  with  all  the  ferocity  and 
cunning  sagacity  of  a  tiger  expressed  in  his  crouch 
ing  body,  he  crept  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  mur 
derer.  The  man  with  the  arquebus  was  stooping 
low,  and  the  glow  of  the  slow-match  hidden  behind 
his  cap  revealed  his  features  to  the  lad  behind,  but 
not  to  those  in  front. 

"Miguel! "  he  whispered. 


262  COLUMBIA 

The  hand  that  clutched  the  dagger  did  not  tremble, 
and  the  holder  crept  nearer  and  nearer.  Miguel 
aimed  his  gun  at  Columbus,  who  rode  nearest  him, 
and  applied  the  match. 

As  the  flash  and  report  rang  on  the  air  some  one 
struck  the  arquebus,  and  the  next  instant  a  hand 
grappled  the  villain's  throat  and  a  voice  hissed  in  his 
ear: 

"Coward  —  murderer!  " 

The  ball  from  the  arquebus  missed  the  mark  and 
the  admiral  was  uninjured,  but  Hernando  felt  that 
the  time  had  come  to  settle  with  his  antagonist  and, 
knowing  full  well  with  whom  he  had  to  deal,  he 
did  not  hesitate.  The  advantage  of  surprise  quite 
overcame  the  disparagement  of  age  and  strength. 
He  was  quick  to  strike  and  struck  home.  A  yell 
of  agony  followed  the  blow  and  he  struck  again  and 
again. 

The  admiral,  with  his  attendants  and  link-bearers, 
galloped  forward  into  the  wood.  But  all  was  over. 
There  was  Hernando,  with  a  blood-stained  dagger 
in  his  hand,  standing  over  a  dead  body. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE   RETURN   TO    PALOS. 

"HERNANDO!"  cried  the  admiral,  as  the  light 
from  the  blazing  torches  fell  full  on  the  face  of  the 
youth  in  the  wood  by  the  dead  body. 

"It  is  all  over." 

"What  have  you  done?  " 

"Slain  your  enemy,  put  out  of  the  way  the  man 
who  would  have  assassinated  you." 

The  overturned  rest,  the  empty  arquebus  still 
hot  and  smoking,  the  burning  match,  and  the  naked 
sword  in  the  hand  of  the  dead  man  supplied  all  miss 
ing  links  in  the  story. 

"Who  is  he,  Hernando?" 

"Your  bitterest  enemy,  Miguel.  He  came  to 
kill  you,  and  I  slew  him." 

"  I  forbade  your  leaving  the  ship,"  said  the  admiral. 

"I  know  you  did,  admiral;  and  now  that  I  have 
saved  your  life  I  am  ready  to  endure  any  punishment 
you  may  choose  to  inflict." 

In  a  moment  Columbus  had  clasped  the  lad  in  a 
warm  embrace. 

King  John  had  sent  Don  Martin  de  Norona  and 
a  numerous  train  of  cavaliers  to  escort  Columbus 
and  his  pilot.  Don  Martin  had  fallen  a  short  dis- 
263 


264  COLUMBIA 

tance  in  the  rear  of  the  cavalcade,  when  the  report 
of  the  arquebus  wakened  the  echoes  of  the  night, 
and  clapping  spurs  to  his  horse  he  reached  the  spot 
just  as  Columbus  clasped  his  preserver  to  his  breast. 

"Hulloa,  admiral,  what  means  this?"  cried  Don 
Martin.  "Have  some  of  the  dogs  of  robbers  dared 
to  attack  you?" 

"It's  an  old  enemy,  Don  Martin'." 

"Who  is  the  lad?" 

"Hernando  Estevan,  the  companion  of  many  of 
my  severest  dangers  and  trials  and  the  preserver  of 
my  life." 

"And  the  man  slain?" 

Columbus  then  proceeded  to  explain  that  he  was 
an  old  enemy,  who  for  some  unknown  cause  had 
sought  to  thwart  his  plans  and  take  his  life.  Though 
he  allowed  no  such  hint  to  escape  his  lips,  it  was  for 
a  while  a  serious  question  in  the  mind  of  Columbus 
whether  the  assassin  had  been  acting  on  his  own 
account  or  in  the  employ  of  King  John.  After  all, 
the  Portuguese  king  might  only  be  pretending 
friendship  in  order  to  blind  Columbus  and  take  him 
unawares.  Fearing,  however,  that  he  might  do  the 
Portuguese  monarch  wrong,  he  determined  to  say 
nothing  about  this  adventure  and  his  narrow  escape. 

"It  is  a  singular  affair,  and  I  shall  report  it  to 
the  sovereign,"  said  Don  Martin. 

"I  pray  you  do  nothing  of  the  kind,  Don  Martin." 

"And  why?" 

"It   will   only  agitate   the  king   without    cause. 


THE  RETURN  TO  PAWS  265 

It  is  merely  an  old  enemy  slain  by  my  young  friend, 
and  I  pray  that  no  mention  ever  be  made  of  it  in 
Portugal  or  in  Spain."  Columbus  had  his  way  and 
the  affair  was  kept  a  secret. 

"What  shall  we  do  with  the  body?"  asked  Don 
Martin. 

"Leave  it,  and  some  of  the  peasants  will  find  it 
in  the  morning  and  give  it  Christian  burial,"  Colum 
bus  answered. 

The  finding  of  a  dead  body  in  the  woods  or  lonely 
mountain  passes  was  a  common  occurrence  in  those 
days  and  occasioned  little  comment.  The  cavalcade 
went  to  Llandra,  where  Columbus  slept  until  morning; 
when  a  servant  of  the  king  arrived  to  attend  him  to 
the  frontier,  if  he  preferred  to  return  to  Spain  by  land, 
and  to  provide  horses,  lodgings,  and  all  else  he  might 
stand  in  need  of. 

Columbus  was  pleased  with  this  marked  display 
of  favor  on  the  part  of  the  king  of  Portugal,  but 
decided  to  return  in  his  caravel. 

"Inform  your  monarch  that  I  am  highly  honored 
by  his  attention,  but  that  I  prefer,  as  the  wind  is 
favorable,  to  return  in  one  of  the  shattered  vessels 
in  which  I  left  last  year."  When  the  royal  messen 
ger  was  gone,  Columbus  thought:  "I  have  done 
King  John  wrong  even  to  suspect  him." 

"How  soon  will  you  put  back  into  Palos?"  Her- 
nando  asked,  when  they  were  once  more  on  the  deck 
of  the  Nina. 

"At  once." 


266  COLUMBIA 

"Heaven  be  praised!  " 

"Are  you  so  anxious  to  return,  my  lad?" 

"  Yes,  my  lord  admiral,"  the  youth  answered.  "  It 
seems  that  we  have  spent  a  lifetime  in  that  new  world. 
Doubtless  many  stories  have  gone  back  to  Palos; 
and  —  and  I  know  two  women  who  are  anxiously 
scanning  the  ocean  day  by  day,  hoping  for  my 
return.  One  is  still  young,  though  sad,  and  the 
other  has  grown  old  with  years  and  grief." 

"We  sail  in  the  morning,  and  in  two  days,  Heaven 
willing,  we  shall  reach  the  port  of  Palos,"  Columbus 
answered. 

Next  day  was  the  13th  of  March,  1493,  and  at 
dawn  the  Nina  weighed  anchor,  unfurled  her  sail  to 
the  breeze,  and  sailed  away  for  Palos.  At  early  day 
light  Hernando  was  awake  and  on  deck  at  the  side 
of  the  admiral,  whose  own  great  heart  was  beating 
high  with  hope.  When  it  became  known  throughout 
the  vessel  that  at  last,  after  so  many  delays,  they  had 
in  reality  set  out  on  their  return  to  Palos,  the  sailors 
broke  forth  in  transports. 

The  praises  of  the  saints  were  sung,  and  such  joy 
was  never  known  on  shipboard.  Standing  at  the 
bow  of  the  vessel,  filled  with  a  deep  happiness  as 
strong  as  the  current  of  a  mighty  river,  was  the 
youth  whose  fortunes  have  been  so  strangely  blended 
with  the  admiral's.  Though  young  in  years,  he  was 
a  man  in  thought. 

Bending  over,  he  watched  the  sharp  prow  cleav 
ing  the  water,  and  thanked  Heaven  for  every  favor- 


THE  RETURN  TO  PAWS  267 

able  breeze.  The  air  was  raw  and  sharp,  and  the 
admiral  expostulated  with  him  urging  him  to  go 
below  and  take  some  rest. 

"I  cannot  rest,  my  lord,  when  every  second  brings 
me  nearer  home.  Are  any  landmarks  familiar  along 
the  way?"  he  asked. 

"Many;  our  pilots  feel  entirely  safe.  They  are  at 
home  in  these  waters." 

It  was  late  at  night  when  the  admiral  induced 
Hernando  to  retire,  but  at  daylight  next  morning  he 
was  again  at  his  post,  rejoicing  that  they  were  rapidly 
nearing  their  harbor  of  safety.  The  day  was  cloudy 
most  of  the  time  and  a  heavy  fog  prevailed;  this,  with 
contrary  winds,  made  the  voyage  difficult  and  perilous. 

"Still  watching?"  asked  the  admiral,  joining 
Hernando. 

"  Yes,  admiral;  I  feel  that  I  cannot  leave  this  spot. 
I  was  the  last  to  turn  my  eyes  from  Palos  and  I  must 
be  the  first  to  see  the  port  on  our  return.  I  left  them 
more  than  half  a  year  ago  standing  there,  straining 
their  tear-stained  eyes  to  watch  my  departure.  Shall 
I  find  them  awaiting  my  return,  I  wonder?" 

"I  trust  you  may." 

"And  yet  we  may  never  reach  Palos,  for  it  seems 
as  if  the  fiends  and  furies  of  the  tempest  contend 
with  us  at  our  very  doors.  All  may  yet  be  lost." 

"No,  not  all . "  Columbus  answered .  ' ' Even  though 
my  ship  should  sink  and  all  of  us  go  down  with  her,  I 
have  sent  an  account  of  the  voyage  and  my  discoveries 
to  the  sovereigns,  so  that  they  will  not  be  lost." 


268  COLUMBIA 

The  15th  of  March  dawned  and  found  every  sailor 
on  deck  and  wide-awake.  The  enthusiasm  and  excite 
ment  of  the  return  were  scarcely  less  than  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  first  landing  in  the  new  world.  At  sunrise 
they  safely  landed  at  the  bar  of  Saltes,  and  thunder 
ing  cannon  announced  their  return  to  the  little  sea 
port  town. 

The  Nina  found  the  wind  contrary,  yet  by  skilful 
management  they  worked  her  gradually  into  port. 

The  long-expected  return  of  Columbus  was  a  great 
event  in  the  history  of  Palos,  \vhere  everybody  was 
more  or  less  interested  in  the  outcome  of  the  expe 
dition.  The  most  important  and  wealthy  sea-cap 
tains  of  the  place  had  engaged  in  it,  and  there  was 
scarcely  a  family  but  had  some  relative  or  friend 
among  the  navigators.  The  departure  of  the  ships 
on  what  appeared  to  be  a  chimerical  and  desperate 
cruise  had  spread  dismay  and  gloom  over  the  place; 
and  the  storms  which  had  raged  throughout  the 
winter  had  greatly  heightened  the  general  despond 
ency.  The  friends  who  had  departed  on  the  voyage 
were  mourned  as  lost,  imagination  lending  mysterious 
horrors  to  their  fate;  picturing  them  as  driven  about 
over  wild  and  desert  wastes  of  shoreless  water,  or 
perishing  amid  mountains  of  stone,  seething  whirlpools 
or  treacherous  quicksands,  or  a  prey  to  those  monsters 
of  the  deep  with  which  the  credulity  of  the  time  peo 
pled  every  distant  and  unknown  sea.  Death  in  any 
defined  or  ordinary  form  did  not  begin  to  compare 
with  such  an  awful  fate. 


THE  RETURN  TO  PAWS  269 

Now,  what  means  that  thundering  gun  at  sea? 
and  look,  a  sail  approaches!  Old  sailors,  whose 
weather-beaten  eyes  had  long  grown  accustomed  to 
scanning  the  ocean,  seized  glasses  and  swept  the 
waters. 

"It's  the  Nina,  the  Nina!"  cried  an  old  sailor, 
who  had  a  son  on  board  the  vessel.  The  glad  cry 
was  taken  up  from  street  to  street.  The  whole 
community  seemed  wild.  Bells  were  rung,  cannon 
and  arquebuses  fired,  shops  closed,  all  business  sus 
pended,  and  for  a  time  there  was  nothing  but  tumult 
and  hurry.  By  chance,  Senora  Doria  and  Christina 
were  in  the  village,  and  hearing  the  tumult,  rushed 
into  the  street  to  inquire  the  cause. 

"Joy,  joy,  joy!"  shouted  a  sailor  hurrying  by. 
"The  ship  which  was  lost  is  returned.  One  of  the 
long  missing  Columbus  caravels  is  in  port." 

"Grandame,  grandame,  he  may  be  aboard!" 
cried  Christina,  her  eyes  beaming  with  hope.  After 
weary  months  of  waiting,  they  had  given  up  all  hope 
of  ever  seeing  the  youth  again;  now  that  one  of  the 
ships  of  the  little  fleet  was  returning  and  they  felt  a 
hope  that  he  might  be  aboard,  it  seemed  as  if  they 
were  about  to  receive  a  visit  from  the  dead.  They 
went  with  the  multitude  down  to  the  quay  to  watch 
the  incoming  vessel. 

Standing  erect  on  the  cross-piece  of  the  bowsprit, 
leaning  forward,  trying  to  pierce  the  distance  and 
make  out  the  features  of  those  on  shore,  was  Hernando 
Estevan.  Could  this  be  true  ?  Was  it  a  reality,  or  only 


270  COLUMBIA 

a  pleasant  dream  from  which  he  would  awake?  Were 
they  really  gliding  into  the  peaceful  harbor  of 
Palos,  crowned  with  glory?  Columbus,  too,  was 
moved  by  sensations  as  strange  as  Hernando's. 
Had  he  really  found  a  new  world,  or  was  it  but  the 
fantasy  o£  a  diseased  brain,  brought  on  by  long 
dwelling  on  the  mysterious  subject?  Columbus  for 
the  first  time  began  almost  to  doubt  his  own  sanity. 
Never  before  had  his  terrible  task  seemed  so  difficult 
and  impossible.  He  was  roused  from  his  strange 
reverie  by  hearing  a  shout : 

"She's  there,  she's  there!  the  Saints  be  praised!" 
And  leaning  from  the  fore-rigging  of  the  ship,  Her- 
nando  waved  his  cap  in  the  air. 

A  joyous  shout  came  in  response  from  land,  a 
sweet  girlish  voice  reached  his  ears  and  a  bright  blue 
turban,  such  as  the  young  Andalusian  women  of  the 
period  wore,  was  waved  in  the  air. 

"Tell  me,  Christina,  do  you  see  him?  My  eyes 
are  growing  dim  and  I  cannot  tell,"  said  the  aged 
senora. 

"Behold!  someone  mounts  the  fore-rigging;  see, 
he  stops,  he  waves  his  cap.  'Tis  he,  'tis  he;  'tis 
Hernando,  and  he  sees  us!" 

Then  the  multitude  crowded  to  the  water's  edge 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  sailors  on  deck,  and  there  was 
a  crowding  forward  of  those  on  deck  to  view  those  on 
shore.  They  almost  pushed  Hernando  into  the  water. 
Friends,  wives,  parents,  and  children  were  waiting  to 
receive  loved  ones,  and  equal  anxiety  was  expressed 


THE  RETURN  TO  PAWS  271 

by  all.  Everybody  was  anxious  to  know  the  fate  of  a 
relative  or  a  friend,  and  all  eager  to  learn  the  full 
particulars  of  such  a  wonderful  voyage. 

"Stand  back!"  cried  Columbus,  intending  that  the 
return  should  be  as  imposing  as  the  departure  had 
been.  But  there  was  one  who  heard  him  not.  The 
Nina  swept  into  port,  and,  with  heart  beating  high, 
Hernando  was  ready  for  the  leap  ashore.  Anchor 
was  dropped,  boats  lowered,  and  one  of  the  first  to 
enter  was  Hernando.  For  once  he  was  deaf  to  the 
command  of  the  admiral,  and  sprang  on  shore  before 
the  boat  touched  the  beach.  While  the  admiral  was 
landing  in  imposing  ceremony,  the  youth  was  embrac 
ing  his  grandmother  and  Christina. 

"Have  you  come,  oh,  have  you  come  at  last?"  the 
little  maiden  cried,  the  blood  leaping  to  her  pale  cheeks. 
The  joy  of  knowing  he  was  safe,  of  holding  his  hand 
once  more,  seemed  too  great  to  be  real. 

When  Columbus  landed,  the  multitude  thronged 
to  see  and  welcome  him,  and  a  grand  procession  was 
formed  to  the  principal  church,  to  return  thanks  to 
God  for  so  signal  a  discovery  made  by  the  people  of 
that  place;  forgetting,  in  their  exultation,  the  thou 
sand  obstacles  they  had  thrown  in  the  way  of  the 
enterprise. 

And  Columbus,  who  a  few  months  before  was 
derided  as  a  beggar,  a  madman,  and  an  adventurer, 
was  now  hailed  with  shouts  and  acclamations  every 
where.  Joy  and  gladness  filled  the  quiet  little  village 
to  overflowing.  Never  in  the  history  of  the  world 


272  COLUMBIA 

had  Palos  known  such  a  day  as  the  15th  of  March, 
1493,  and  the  hero  of  the  hour  was  he  who  not  long 
before  had  arrived  there  a  poor  pedestrian,  asking 
bread  and  water  for  his  child  companion  at  the  gate 
of  a  convent. 

As  soon  as  the  ceremonies  at  the  church  were 
over,  Columbus  inquired  of  the  alcalde  of  Palos  where 
the  court  was. 

"At  Barcelona,"  was  the  answer. 

"I  believe  I  will  sail  for  the  city  at  once." 

"I  pray  you,  my  lord,  go  by  land;  it  is  surely  safer; 
and  after  all  you  have  suffered  from  an  angry  sea,  I 
should  think  you  would  be  unwilling  to  risk  your  life 
on  the  water  until  you  have  imparted  your  dis 
coveries  to  the  king  and  queen." 

"A  sailor's  home  is  on  the  sea." 

"Not  when  his  life  is  of  such  value  to  the  world  as 
yours.  After  all  the  dangers  and  disasters  you  have 
experienced,  I  trust  you  will  change  your  resolution 
and  proceed  by  land." 

Hernando  Estevan  joined  his  entreaties  to  the 
others,  and  the  admiral  was  at  last  prevailed  upon 
to  alter  his  plan.  He  dispatched  a  letter  to  the 
king  and  queen,  informing  them  of  his  arrival,  and 
made  arrangements  to  depart  next  day  for  Seville  to 
await  their  orders. 

After  the  first  emotions  of  the  meeting  between 
Hernando,  Christina,  and  the  grandmother  had 
somewhat  subsided,  the  senora  asked: 

"Did  you  find  your  father?" 


THE  RETURN  TO  PAWS 


273 


"No,"  he  answered,  sadly. 

"Nor  learn  his  fate?" 

"I  learned  nothing  of  him."  Then  he  told  how 
they  had  found  many  tribes  of  strange,  wild  people, 
but  none  knew  anything  of  his  father.  "I  fear  the 
ship  in  which  he  sailed  went  down." 

Then  the  grandmother  became  silent,  and  Chris- 


SEVILLE. 


tina  stole  to  the  side  of  her  foster-brother/entwined 
an  arm  about  his  neck,  and  whispered: 

"Do  not  be  downcast  or  disconsolate.  1  have 
lost  my  parents,  but  so  long  as  you  are  with  me  I 
shall  not  complain." 

"Nor  shall  I;  we  have  each  other."  The  pious 
old  grandmother,  who  had  been  watching  the  chil 
dren,  exclaimed : 

Vol.  1—18 


274  COLUMBIA 

"Heaven  has  decreed  them  for  each  other;  God 
is  kind,  even  when  chastening." 

In  the  midst  of  general  rejoicing  throughout  the 
village,  a  sailor  came  to  Columbus  and  said: 

"Admiral,  behold,  another  comes.  See,  the  Pinta, 
commanded  by  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon,  is  now  entering 
the  river." 

Columbus  left  the  house  where  he  was  resting  and 
hurried  to  the  quay. 

"The  fellow  is  right/-  he  said,  as  his  eyes  fell  on 
a  ship  dropping  anchor  in  the  harbor.  "It  is  the 
Pinta  which  I  thought  lost,  but  which  basely  deserted 
me."  Columbus  ordered  a  boat  that  he  might  go  to 
meet  the  captain,  but  Pinzon  put  ashore  further 
up  the  bay,  and,  filled  with  shame  and  confusion, 
denied  himself  to  Columbus. 

After  separating  from  the  Nina,  the  Pinta  was 
driven  before  the  gale  into  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  and 
made  the  port  of  Bayonne.  Doubting  whether 
Columbus  had  survived  the  tempest,  Pinzon  wrote 
from  this  port  to  the  sovereigns,  giving  information 
of  the  discoveries  he  had  made,  requesting  permis 
sion  to  come  to  court  and  communicate  the  particu 
lars  in  person.  As  soon  as  the  weather  had  permitted, 
he  again  set  sail,  anticipating  a  triumphant  reception 
in  his  native  port  of  Palos.  On  entering  the  harbor 
he  beheld  the  vessel  of  the  admiral  riding  at  anchor, 
while  the  very  skies  and  hills  and  mountains  rang 
with  enthusiasm;  and  his  heart  died  within  him. 

It  is  said  by  some  historians  that  Martin  Alonzo 


THE  RETURN  TO  PAWS  275 

Pinzon  feared  to  meet  Columbus  in  this  hour  of  his 
triumph  lest  he  should  be  put  under  arrest  for  his 
desertion  on  the  coast  of  Cuba;  but  he  was  a  man  of 
too  much  resolution  and  courage  to  entertain  any 
such  fear.  It  is  more  probable  that  consciousness 
of  his  misconduct  made  him  unwilling  to  go  before 
the  public  in  the  midst  of  their  enthusiasm  for  Colum 
bus,  and  he  no  doubt  sickened  at  the  honors  heaped 
upon  a  man  whose  superiority  he  had  been  so  unwilling 
to  acknowledge.  Therefore  he  boarded  his  boat,  was 
privately  landed,  and  kept  out  of  sight  until  he  heard 
of  the  admiral's  departure.  He  then  returned  to  his 
home,  broken  in  health  and  deeply  dejected,  con 
sidering  all  the  honors  heaped  upon  Columbus  as  so 
many  reproaches  upon  himself.  He  waited  long  and 
anxiously  for  an  answer  from  his  sovereigns.  When 
it  came  it  proved  to  be  crushing  to  his  hopes,  for  it 
was  full  of  reproaches,  and  forbade  his  appearing 
at  court.  The  anguish  of  his  feelings  gave  virulence 
to  a  bodily  malady,  and  shortly  afterward  he  died. 
Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was,  perhaps,  a  better  man 
than  he  will  ever  receive  credit  for  being.  Like 
many  another  great  soldier  or  sailor,  his  ambition 
proved  his  ruin.  In  considering  him,  let  us  gaze 
charitably  on  the  picture  which  represents  the  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  of  years  before,  when  life  was  full  of 
promise,  and  ambition  in  her  golden  car  had  not 
swung  down  the  path  of  time,  dragging  him  captive 
at  her  wheels. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A   LESSON   FROM   AN   EGG. 

THOUGH  urged  to  remain  at  Palos,  where  every 
honor  in  the  power  of  the  people  was  tendered  him, 
the  admiral  was  too  anxious  to  present  himself  to 
the  sovereigns,  to  prolong  his  stay.  He  selected  to 
take  with  him  six  of  the  natives  brought  from  the 
New  World,  together  with  specimens  of  the  multi 
farious  products  of  the  newly  discovered  regions. 

Early  the  morning  after  his  arrival  Hernando 
came  to  where  the  admiral  was  lodging.  The  ser 
vant  informed  him  that  Columbus  was  sleeping;  so 
Hernando  was  about  to  go  away,  when  the  well-loved 
voice  called  to  him: 

"Hernando,  my  lad,  is  it  you?  " 

"Are  you  awake,  admiral?" 

"I  awoke  just  this  moment.  Come  in;  I  wish 
to  talk  with  you." 

Columbus  was  still  in  bed  when  Hernando  entered. 
The  youth  had  grown  more  diffident,  for  he  realized, 
since  he  had  been  an  eye-witness  to  the  honors  heaped 
upon  him,  the  greatness  of  his  beloved  master.  He 
stood,  cap  in  hand,  his  face  overwhelmed  with  confusion. 

"To  what  do  I  owe  this  early  morning  visit? 
I  know  full  well  you  would  not  have  come  at  this 
276 


A  LESSON  FROM  AN  EGG  277 

hour  had  you  not  something  of  importance  to  com 
municate." 

"I  have  come  to  make  a  request,  my  lord," 
answered  Hernando. 

"What  is  it?" 

"I  learn  that  you  set  out  today  for  Seville  to 
await  the  summons  to  the  court  of  the  king  and 
queen  at  Barcelona." 

"Such  is  my  intention." 

"May  I  accompany  you?" 

"Would  you  leave  your  home  so  soon?" 

"I  do  not  wish  to  separate  from  them,  but  I  — 
I  have  been  with  you  through  your  trials,  I  should 
like  to  be  a  witness  to  your  crowning  triumph." 

"Your  wish  shall  be  granted.  These  poor  honors 
which  I  have  won  shall  be  shared  with  every  deserv 
ing  follower." 

"Do  you  start  at  an  early  hour?" 

"Yes,  lad." 

Hernando  quitted  the  bed-chamber  of  the  ad 
miral,  and  went  to  his  grandmother  and  Christina 
to  acquaint  them  with  his  intention  to  depart  with 
the  admiral  and  to  make  a  few  necessary  preparations 
for  the  journey. 

Hernando's  costume  was  scarcely  inferior  to  the 
admiral's,  and  was  well  suited  for  so  grand  an  occasion. 
Accompanied  by  a  guard  of  honor  which  was  headed 
by  a  good  monk,  mounted  on  a  sleek,  fat  mule, 
they  set  out  for  Seville.  The  native  islanders  who 
accompanied  them  were  arrayed  in  their  simple, 


A  LESSOX  FROM  AN  EGG  279 

barbaric  costume,  and  were  decorated  with  gay 
plumage,  collars,  bracelets,  and  other  ornaments 
of  gold  rudely  fashioned.  Columbus  also  exhibited 
to  the  wondering  villagers  as  they  passed  along 
considerable  quantities  of  the  same  metal  in  dust 
or  in  crude  masses,  numerous  vegetable  exotics 
possessed  of  aromatic  or  medicinal  virtues,  and 
several  kinds  of  animals  and  birds  unknown  to 
Europe  —  the  gaudy  plumage  of  the  latter  giving  a 
brilliant  effect  to  the  pageant. 

No  procession  has  ever  created  more  intense 
excitement.  News  of  the  return  of  the  explorer, 
and  of  his  journey  to  Seville,  and  thence  to  Bar 
celona,  spread  like  wild-fire,  and  men  quitted  their 
ordinary  pursuits  and  journeyed  for  miles  to  see 
the  wonders  from  another  and  an  unknown  world. 
Women  and  children,  too,  hastened  to  throng  the 
roads  and  gaze  on  the  strange  people  from  that 
far-off  land.  The  admiral's  progress  through  the 
country  was  everywhere  impeded  by  the  multitudes 
thronging  forth  to  gaze  at  the  extraordinary  spec 
tacle,  and  on  the  more  than  extraordinary  man, 
who  —  in  the  emphatic  language  of  the  time,  which 
from  its  familiarity  has  now  lost  its  force  —  first 
revealed  the  existence  of  a  "new  world." 

It  was  nearly  noon  before  they  came  in  sight  of 
the  busy  and  populous  city  of  Seville.  All  morning 
the  procession  had  been  pushing  its  way  through 
crowds  of  enthusiastic  people,  who  thronged  even 
the  country  roads. 


280  COLUMBIA 

"Look,  admiral,  look!"  cried  Hernando,  pointing 
toward  the  city,  where  a  great  concourse  was  as 
sembled. 

"What  crowds!  what  swarms  of  people!"  cried 
the  fat,  jolly  old  monk  who  headed  the  procession. 
"My  lord  admiral,  methinks  you  will  find  a  goodly 
company  to  greet  you." 

Amid  thundering  cheers  the  procession  moved 
slowly  forward  to  the  city  gate.  As  soon  as  the 
guard  at  the  towers  caught  sight  of  the  banners  of 
Columbus,  the  signal  was  given,  and  the  cannon 
from  the  walls  roared  and  clouds  of  smoke  rose 
over  the  scene.  Surely  never  was  such  a  gala-day 
known,  even  in  Seville. 

Slowly  the  procession  moved  forward,  and  re 
newed  cries  of  "Long  live  Columbus,  long  live  my 
lord  admiral!"  filled  the  air. 

"How  can  we  enter  the  city?"  asked  Hernando, 
as  the  procession  halted  amid  the  shouts  and  cries 
of  the  excited  populace. 

"We  must  wait  until  they  have  partially  recov 
ered  from  their  excitement." 

The  monk,  on  his  sleek  mule,  seemed  com 
plete  master  of  the  situation.  He  pressed  forward 
in  the  throng,  and  pushing  aside  a  halberdier, 
cried : 

"In  Heaven's  name,  sir,  do  you  mean  to  keep 
the  admiral  without  the  gate  all  day?  Give  way, 
give  way  —  unless  you  idiots  are  made  of  stone. 
Santa  Maria!  you  lubberly,  overgrown  swine,  are 


A  LESSON  FROM  AN  EGG  281 

you  going  to  stand  in  the  way  until  the  crack  o' 
doom?  Cannot  you  move?  Hold  that  fractious 
horse,  sir  knight  —  in  God's  name  I  pray  you  to 
hold  your  horse,  unless  you  would  trample  down 
the  admiral  and  his  followers." 

The  monk  carried  a  stout  staff  in  his  hand,  and 
losing  his  temper,  he  began  laying  about  him  until 
he  had  cleared  a  passage  to  the  gate,  and  the  ad 
miral  and  his  followers  and  attendants  had  passed 
through  beneath  the  portals. 

Inside  the  city  the  crush  and  excitement  was 
even  greater. 

"Santa  Maria,  what  crowds  of  people!  "  cried  the 
monk. 

As  they  passed  down  the  street,  every  window, 
balcony,  and  housetop  was  crowded  with  specta 
tors,  eager  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  great  man. 

"Look  at  the  Indians,"  cried  Hernando.  "See 
how  excited  and  astounded  they  are.  This  is  a  new 
scene  to  them,  and  they  are  dumb  with  amazement." 

The  poor  creatures  were  bewildered  and  lost  in 
wonder.  The  waving  banners,  prancing  steeds, 
blasts  of  trumpets,  strains  of  music,  thunder  of 
cannon,  and  hordes  of  gaily  costumed  people,  were 
too  splendid  and  grand  for  their  simple  minds  to 
comprehend. 

A  house  was  set  apart  for  Columbus  and  his 
attendants.  Wherever  the  admiral  went  Hernando 
accompanied  him,  and  was  frequently  mistaken  for 
his  son  Diego,  a  page  in  the  royal  household. 


282  COLUMBIA 

"How  long  will  you  halt  in  Seville?"  Hernando 
asked  the  admiral. 

"Until  I  hear  from  the  sovereigns,  and  arrange 
ments  can  be  made  for  pressing  on  in  our  journey." 

The  sun  was  dipping  behind  the  western  moun 
tains  four  or  five  days  after  the  arrival  of  Columbus 
in  Seville,  when  a  courier  from  the  royal  court 
arrived  on  a  powerful  black  steed,  with  foam- 
whitened  flanks. 

"Whom    do    you    seek?"    demanded  the  guard. 

"I  would  see  the  lord  admiral,  Christopher 
Columbus." 

"Do  you  come  from  our  good  king  and  queen?" 
asked  the  guard. 

"I  do." 

Columbus  was  informed  of  the  arrival  of  the 
courier  and  sent  for  him  at  once.  He  received 
the  communication  with  joy,  for  it  was  all  he  could 
desire.  The  king  and  queen  expressed  their  de 
light,  and  requested  him  to  repair  at  once  to  the 
court  to  devise  plans  for  a  second  and  more  ex 
tensive  expedition.  As  summer,  the  time  favor 
able  for  a  voyage,  was  approaching,  they  desired 
him  to  make  arrangements  at  Seville,  or  elsewhere, 
such  as  might  delay  the  voyage  as  little  as  possi 
ble.  They  desired  him  also  to  inform  them  by 
return  courier  what  was  to  be  done  on  their  part. 

The  letter  was  addressed  to  him  by  the  title  of 
"Don  Christopher  Columbus,  our  admiral  of  the 
ocean,  sea,  and  viceroy  and  governor-general  of 


A  LESSO.\T  FROM  AN  EGG  283 

the  islands  discovered  in  the  Indies";  and  in  con 
clusion  promised  him  further  great  rewards. 

No  one  but  Hernando  was  in  the  room  when  the 
admiral  opened  the  letter.  Having  finished  it,  he 
folded  the  document  and  sat  for  a  long  time  gazing 
at  the  superscription.  Not  a  word  escaped  his  lips, 
but  his  eyes  grew  dimmer  and  dimmer  until  the 
tears,  which  had  been  slowly  rising,  overflowed  and 
fell  down  his  cheeks  unchecked.  Not  understand 
ing  the  strange  emotions  which  stirred  the  soul 
of  the  great  man,  Hernando  sprang  to  his  side  and 
cried : 

"What  has  gone  amiss,  admiral;  have  our  sov 
ereigns  denounced  you?" 

"No,  no,  brave  youth;  I  weep  for  joy."  Pointing 
at  the  superscription  he  added:  ''There  is  the  title 
for  which  I  have  struggled  and  prayed.  Here  it  is, 
acknowledged  by  the  sovereigns  themselves.  I  have 
waited  and  labored  a  long,  long  time  for  it." 

"And  your  work  is  not  yet  done,  admiral." 

"No." 

"There  is  still  a  glorious  work  for  you." 

"Ay,  for  God.  The  Holy  Sepulchre  is  in  pos 
session  of  the  unbeliever.  I  shall  now  be  able  to  raise 
a  sufficient  army  and  go  to  the  rescue  of  Palestine." 

Columbus  lost  no  time  in  complying  with  the  com 
mands  of  the  sovereigns.  He  sent  a  memorandum 
of  the  requisite  ships,  men,  and  munitions  of  war,  and, 
having  made  such  preparations  at  Seville  as  circum 
stances  permitted,  set  out  for  Barcelona,  taking  with 


284  COLUMBIA 

• 

him  the  six  Indians  and  the  various  curiosities  and 
productions  brought  from  the  New  World. 

By  this  .time  the  fame  of  his  wonderful  discovery 
had  resounded  throughout  the  nation.  Many  still 
doubted  it,  while  the  more  credulous  believed  not  only 
that,  but  much  stranger  and  wilder  stories.  Imagi 
nation  took  its  wildest  flight  in  enlarging  on  the 
wonderful  countries  which  had  been  discovered. 
The  news  that  the  procession  was  to  pass  at  a 
certain  place  was  sufficient  to  insure  a  vast  crowd. 
The  people  lined  the  country  roads  and  thronged 
the  villages,  so  much  so  that  —  good-natured  as  he 
usually  was  —  the  monk  frequently  lost  his  temper. 

The  streets,  windows,  and  balconies  of  the  towns 
were  filled  with  eager  spectators,  who  rent  the  air 
with  their  acclamations.  The  journey  was  continu 
ally  impeded  by  the  multitude  pressing  to  gain  a  sight 
of  Columbus  and  of  the  Indians,  who  were  regarded 
with  as  much  astonishment  as  if  they  had  been  natives 
of  another  planet.  Their  progress  was  delayed  to 
such  an  extent  that  it  was  the  middle  of  April  before 
Columbus  arrived  at  Barcelona. 

Every  preparation  had  been  made  to  give  the 
admiral  and  his  faithful  followers  a  solemn  and  mag 
nificent  reception.  The  beauty  and  serenity  of  the 
weather  in  that  genial  season  and  favored  clime  con 
tributed  to  give  splendor  to  this  memorable  ceremony. 
As  he  drew  near,  many  of  the  youthful  courtiers  and 
hidalgos,  together  with  a  vast  concourse  of  the  popu 
lace,  came  forth  to  meet  and  welcome  him.  The 


A  LESSON  FROM  AN  EGG 


285 


entrance  of  Columbus  into  the  noble  city  of  Barcelona 
was  equal  to  one  of  the  triumphs  which  the  Romans 
were  accustomed  to  accord  to  conquerors. 

Columbus   arranged   his  procession    skillfully,  so 
that  it  appeared  to  the  best  advantage.      The  six 


'; 

?£F^-£3fc&£&  "    • 


OUTSIDE  THE  CITY  GATE. 

Indians,  painted  according  to  their  wild,  savage 
fashion,  and  decorated  with  their  native  orna 
ments  of  gold,  followed  the  monk,  mounted  on 
his  sleek  little  mule.  After  these  were  some  of  the 
various  kinds  of  live  parrots,  together  with  stuffed 


286  COLUMBIA 

birds  and  animals  of  unknown  species,  and  rare 
plants  supposed  to  be  of  precious  qualities;  while 
great  care  was  taken  to  display  the  Indian  coronets, 
bracelets,  and  other  decorations  of  gold,  in  order  that 
a  favorable  impression  of  the  richness  of  the  newly 
discovered  regions  might  be  formed. 

After  this  procession  followed  Columbus,  mounted 
on  a  richly  caparisoned  horse;  and  at  his  side, 
on  a  beautiful,  spotted  Andalusian  pony,  rode  Her- 
nando,  as  gorgeously  dressed  as  a  young  prince. 
Both  were  surrounded  by  a  brilliant  cavalcade. 

"Behold,  my  lord,  how  the  streets  are  crowded," 
cried  the  boy.  "The  multitude  makes  them  almost 
impassable." 

"Our  friend  the  monk  will  force  a  passage,"  the 
admiral  answered,  with  a  smile. 

"The  windows  and  balconies  are  crowded  with 
women  and  children,  and  the  very  roofs  are  cov 
ered,"  the  youth  said. 

Barcelona  was  never  so  thronged,  before  nor  since. 
It  seemed  as  if  the  public  eye  could  not  be  sated  with 
gazing  on  these  trophies  of  an  unknown  world  and  on 
the  remarkable  man  by  whom  it  was  discovered.  There 
was  a  sublimity  in  this  event  that  mingled  a  solemn 
feeling  with  the  public  joy.  It  was  looked  upon  as  a 
vast  and  signal  dispensation  of  Providence,  in  reward 
for  the  piety  of  the  monarchs.  And  the  majestic  and 
venerable  appearance  of  the  discoverer,  in  contra 
distinction  to  the  general  idea  which  had  been  form 
ed  of  him,  as  a  young  and  reckless  rover,  seemed  in 


.-1  LESSOX  FROM  AX  EGG  287 

harmony  with  the  grandeur  and  dignity  of  his  achieve 
ments. 

"Who  is  the  youth  at' his  side?  Is  it  his  son?" 
was  asked  by  many. 

"Hernando  Estevan,  a  youth  who  has  been  with 
him  through  all  his  tribulations." 

An  armed,  plumed,  and  helmeted  knight  heard 
the  words  and  bit  his  lip  with  vexation.  Turning  his 
horse  about,  Sir  Garcia  uttered  a  curse  at  his  ill- 
fortune.  He  knew  not  why  Miguel  had  failed  him, 
but  determined  if  the  villain  lived  to  punish  him, 
little  knowing  that  his  hired  assassin  was  beyond 
reach  of  punishment. 

In  order  that  the  reception  might  be  witnessed 
by  the  people  and  at  the  same  time  possess  suit 
able  pomp  and  distinction,  the  sovereigns  ordered 
their  throne  to  be  placed  in  a  public  place,  under  a 
rich  canopy  of  brocade  and  gold,  in  a  vast  and  splendid 
saloon.  Here  the  king  and  queen,  seated  in  state, 
with  Prince  Juan  beside  them,  and  many  dignitaries 
gathered  about,  awaited  the  arrival  of  him  who  at 
that  time  was  the  greatest  man  in  Spain.  This  is 
high  praise,  for  in  addition  to  the  sovereigns,  the 
principal  nobility  of  Castile,  Valentia,  Catalonia,  and 
Aragon  were  present,  all  impatient  to  behold  the 
discoverer. 

Columbus  and  Hernando  entered  the  spacious 
hall,  surrounded  by  a  brilliant  crowyd  of  cavaliers. 
The  admiral  was  conspicuous  for  his  stately  and  com 
manding  person,  which,  with  his  countenance  ren- 


288  COLUMBIA 

dered  venerable  by  his  white  hair,  gave  him  the  august 
appearance  of  a  Roman  senator.  He  was  greeted 
with  applause,  and  a  modest  smile  lighted  up  his 
features,  showing  that  he  enjoyed  the  state  and  glory 
in  which  he  came.  What  could  be  more  deeply 
moving  to  a  mind  fired  by  noble  ambition  and  con 
scious  of  having  greatly  deserved,  than  thesa  testi 
monials  of  admiration  and  gratitude  from  a  nation — 
rather,  from  a  world,  for  was  not  the  whole  civilized 
world  at  this  moment  turning  its  eyes  upon  the  hum 
ble  Genoese  sailor? 

As  Columbus  approached  the  sovereigns,  Her- 
nando  halted,  for  the  admiral  was  about  to  take  his 
place  among  the  grand  and  august  of  the  realm.  At 
his  approach  the  sovereigns  rose,  as  if  receiving  a  per 
son  of  the  highest  rank.  Kneeling  before  them  upon 
the  rich  vermilion  carpet,  he  offered  to  kiss  their 
hands,  but  there  was  some  hesitation  on  the  part  of 
the  sovereigns  about  permitting  this  act  of  homage. 
Taking  his  hand  in  her  own,  Queen  Isabella  raised 
Columbus  to  his  feet,  and  in  a  most  gracious  manner 
said: 

"I  pray  you,  be  seated,  admiral,  and  narrate  to 
us  the  striking  events  of  your  wonderful  voyage  and 
discoveries,  and  give  us  a  description  of  the  islands 
you  have  discovered." 

To  sit  in  the  presence  of  the  sovereigns  was  a  rare 
honor  in  this  proud  and  punctilious  court.  In  a 
calm,  modest  manner  Columbus  proceeded  to  give 
a  brief  account  of  his  wonderful  discoveries,  display- 


A  LESSON  FROM  AX  EGG  289 

ing  specimens  of  unknown  birds  and  animals,  rare 
plants  of  medicinal  and  aromatic  virtues;  gold  in 
dust,  in  crude  masses,  or  labored  in  barbaric  orna 
ments;  and,  above  all,  the  native  wild  people,  who 
were  objects  of  such  intense  and  inexhaustible  interest. 
The  queen  was  delighted.  She  took  some  of  the 
smaller  birds  and  animals  in  her  hands,  fondled  them, 
and  gave  them  to  her  page  to  care  for.  She  con 
versed  with  the  young  Indian  woman,  who  had 
learned  a  little  Spanish,  and  was  delighted  with  all 
she  saw  and  heard.  Columbus,  after  pointing  out 
all  he  had  brought  with  him,  said: 

"These  are  but  the  harbingers  of  greater  discov 
eries  yet  to  be  made,  which  will  add  realms  of  incal 
culable  wealth  to  the  dominions  of  your  majesties, 
and  whole  nations  of  proselytes  to  the  true  faith." 

When  he  had  finished,  the  sovereigns  fell  on  their 
knees,  all  present  following  their  example;  and  raising 
their  clasped  hands  to  Heaven,  their  eyes  filled  with 
tears,  they  poured  forth  thanks  and  praises  to  God 
for  sa  great  a  providence.  A  deep  and  solemn  en 
thusiasm  pervaded  that  splendid  assembly,  and  pre 
vented  all  common  acclamations  of  triumph.  When 
Columbus  retired  from  the  royal  presence,  a  shout 
went  up  from  the  multitude.  Alone  with  Hernando, 
he  broke  down  and  wept. 

"I  shall  this  day  make  a  vow,"  he  declared. 
"Great  wealth  must  soon  accrue  to  me,  and  I  will 
give  it  all  to  my  heavenly  Master;  within  seven, 
years  I  will  furnish  an  army,  consisting  of  four  thou- 

Vol.  1—19 


290  COLUMBIA 

sand  horse  and  fifty  thousand  foot,  for  the  rescue  of 
the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  a  similar  force  within  five 
years  thereafter." 

One  pair  of  jealous,  envious  eyes  watched  Colum 
bus,  and  felt  keenly  a  pang  at  every  sound  of  his 
praise.  It  was  the  guilty  Sir  Garcia.  He  felt  that 
the  triumph  of  Columbus  in  some  way  endangered 
his  own  prosperity;  and  had  Miguel  lived,  or  could 
he  have  found  another  equally  faithful,  no  doubt  he 
would  have  attempted  the  admiral's  assassination. 

Among  the  notables  frequently  with  the  great 
discoverer  and  Hernando  was  Pedro  Gonzalez  de 
Mendoza,  the  grand  cardinal  of  Spain,  and  first 
subject  of  the  realm;  a  man  whose  reputation  for 
piety,  learning,  and  high,  prince-like  qualities  gave 
signal  value  to  his  favors.  Sir  Garcia  Estavan,  the 
scheming  knight,  had  managed  by  his  subtilty  to  in 
gratiate  himself  into  the  good  will  of  the  cardinal. 
Pedro  Gonzalez  de  Mendoza  invited  Columbus  and  his 
youthful  companion  to  a  banquet,  where  he  assigned 
the  admiral  the  most  honorable  place  at  the  table  and 
had  him  served  with  the  ceremonials  which  in  those 
punctilious  times  were  observed  toward  sovereigns. 

Sir  Garcia  was  present,  and  impatient  of  the 
honors  paid  Columbus  and  meanly  jealous  of  him 
as  a  foreigner,  asked  during  the  banquet: 

"My  lord  admiral,  do  you  not  think,  in  case  you 
had  not  discovered  the  Indies,  there  are  other  men 
in  Spain  who  would  have  been  capable  of  the  en 
terprise?" 


A  LESSON  FROM  AN  EGO  291 

Columbus  was  usually  cool  and  good-tempered, 
but  his  brow  lowered  a  little  at  this  insulting  query; 
and  taking  an  egg,  he  handed  it  to  Sir  Garcia,  saying: 

"Sir  knight,  can  you  make  that  egg  stand  on 
end?" 

Wondering  what  that  could  have  to  do  with 
answering  his  question,  Sir  Garcia  took  the  egg, 
tried  to  stand  it  on  end,  but  failed.  Then  every  one 
at  the  table,  in  turn,  tried  to  stand  the  egg  on  end, 
but  all  failed.  When  all  had  given  it  up,  Columbus 
took  the  egg,  struck  the  small  end  upon  the  table  so 
as  to  slightly  break  and  flatten  it,  and  left  it  standing 
on  end. 

"There,  sir  knight,"  he  said,  with  a  triumphant 
smile,  "you  can  do  it  now;  and  when  I  have  once 
shown  the  way  to  the  New  World,  nothing  is  easier 
than  to  follow  it." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

FATHER   AND  SON. 

DURING  his  sojourn  at  Barcelona,  the  sovereigns 
took  every  occasion  to  bestow  on  Columbus  personal 
marks  of  their  consideration.  He  was  admitted  at 
all  times  to  the  royal  presence,  and  the  queen  de 
lighted  to  converse  with  him  on  the  subject  of  his 
enterprises.  Occassionally  the  king  appeared  publicly 
on  horseback,  with  Columbus  on  his  one  side  and 
Prince  Juan  on  the  other.  To  perpetuate  in  his 
family  the  glory  of  his  achievement,  a  coat  of  arms 
was  assigned  the  admiral  in  which  the  royal  insignia, 
the  castle  and  lion,  were  quartered  with  his  proper 
bearings,  which  were  a  group  of  islands.  To  these 
arms  was  afterward  annexed  the  motto: 

"  A  Castilla  y  a  Leon, 
Nuevo  mundo  dio  Colon."  * 

One  day,  when  the  admiral  was  riding  with  the 
king,  Ferdinand  asked: 

"Who  is  the  youth,  admiral,  to  whom  you  are 
so  fondly  attached?" 

"His  name  is  Hernando  Estevan,  a  son  of  Rod- 
erigo  Estevan,  whom  your  highness  may  remember." 


1  To  Castile  and  Leon 
Columbus  gave  a  new  world." 
292 


FATHER  AND  SON  293 

"I  do;  he  was  the  elder  brother  of  Sir  Garcia 
and  formerly  an  heir  to  the  estates  since  confis 
cated.  There  were  some  charges  of  treason  against 
him." 

"Made  by  Abdallah  Ahmed,  the  Moor,  and  sub 
stantiated  by  his  own  brother,  were  they  not,  your 
majesty?" 

"You  are  right,  admiral." 

"Those  charges  were  false,  though  in  the  civil 
wars  he  was  true  to  the  house  of  Castile,  while  his 
brother  championed  the  cause  of  Aragon.  I  do 
not  censure  your  majesty,  but  I  believe  you  were 
wrongly  informed." 

"What  became  of  Roderigo?" 

"His  fate  is  unknown.  He  took  passage  in  a 
ship  and  sailed  westward,  and  his  vessel  was  never 
heard  from.  His  son  maintains  that  his  father  lives 
in  slavery,  and  he  hoped  to  find  him  among  the 
strange  people  on  the  islands  we  discovered.  I 
believe,  however,  that,  if  he  lives  at  all,  he  is  a  slave 
in  some  far-off  Moorish  or  Arabian  province." 

"What  grounds  have  you  for  such  belief?" 

"The  reasons  for  it  I  have  kept  from  the  son,  as 
they  might  lead  to  an  expedition  that  would  end  in 
his  death.  On  various  occasions  strange  hints  have 
been  dropped,  both  by  the  Moor  and  Sir  Garcia, 
which  lead  me  to  such  a  belief.  I  feel  that  I  have 
strong  reasons  for  this  conclusion." 

After  a  moment's  reflection,  the  king  said: 

"A  sailor  just  returned  from  Moorish  captivity 


294  COLUMBIA 

has  narrated  to  one  of  my  courtiers  a  most  remark 
able  story." 

"Have  you  heard  it?" 

"Not  from  his  own  lips,  but  from  the  knight  to 
whom  it  was  told,  and  it  made  such  an  impression 
upon  me  that  I  intend  sending  for  him  and  hear 
ing  it  over  again." 

"I  trust  your  majesty  will  send  forthwith  for 
this  man,  and  that  I  also  may  be  a  listener." 

Consequently,  arrangements  were  made  for  the 
next  day,  that  the  king  and  the  admiral  might,  from 
the  prisoner's  own  lips,  hear  the  story  of  his  captivity 
and  bondage.  Columbus  was  at  hand  ready  to  hear 
the  recital,  and  had  not  been  long  with  the  monarch 
in  the  royal  chamber  when  an  old  man,  with  long, 
snow-white  hair,  beard,  and  bent  form,  appeared 
before  them.  His  pale,  wrinkled  face  seemed  to  bear 
the  stamp  of  death  and  the  dungeon's  mould  upon 
it,  and  spoke  volumes  of  suffering.  He  tottered  for 
ward,  leaning  heavily  on  his  staff  as  he  approached  the 
royal  presence.  The  king  had  great  compassion  for 
age  and  weakness,  and  bidding  him  be  seated,  urged 
him  to  tell  his  own  sad  story.  Thus  abjured  by  his 
monarch,  the  sufferer  spoke: 

"My  liege,  this  hair  is  white,  but  not  with  years 
nor  sickness;  this  form  is  bowed,  these  limbs  bent, 
not  with  toil,  but  cramped  and  crooked  in  a  foul  dun 
geon.  How  long  did  I  lie  in  that  dungeon,  my  liege? 
I  know  not.  It  was  years,  many,  oh!  so  many;  how 
many  I  have  no  means  of  knowing.  Day  and  night 


FATHER  AND  SON  295 

were  quite  as  one.  The  blessed  Sabbath  was  un 
known,  and  only  went  to  make  up  further  accursed 
hours  of  agony  and  suffering. 

"I  was  a  simple  sailor,  who,  next  to  the  God  I 
worshipped,  loved  my  ocean  home  and  the  sover 
eign  under  whose  flag  I  sailed.  One  day  we  were 
a  few  leagues  off  the  Canaries,  when,  in  the  gray  of 
morning,  we  were  surprised  by  a  Moorish  rover.  The 
robbers  gave  us  chase.  We  crowded  as  much  canvas 
as  our  yards  could  spread  and  our  masts  carry,  but 
the  pursuer  rapidly  overhauled  us;  and  though  we 
fought,  we  were  carried  by  the  board,  and,  after 
losing  two  men  killed  and  five  wounded,  were  made 
captives  and  carried  to  a  Moorish  dungeon.  Whilst 
there,  my  liege,  my  eyes  beheld  much  misery,  and  my 
ears  grew  accustomed  to  groans  of  agony  and  death. 
One  man  I  shall  remember  as  long  as  my  facul 
ties  remain.  No  braver,  nobler,  truer  chevalier  ever 
couched  a  lance  in  Spain.  He  was  tall,  young,  and 
handsome  when  they  brought  him  first,  but  how 
soon  he  changed!  The  color  faded  from  his  cheek, 
and  his  hair,  as  you  see  mine,  turned  into  threads  of 
whitest  snow.  They  chained  him  to  a  column  of 
stone  where  he  could  not  move  a  single  pace,  and 
with  the  pale  light  of  the  dungeon  falling  upon  him, 
he  withered  and  grew  old.  Fettered  hand  and  foot, 
he  pined  away,  listening  to  the  hollow  groans  of  his 
fellow-prisoners,  like  himself  chained  to  pillars  of 
stone  and  unable  to  move  hand  or  foot.  I  was  near, 
and  often  did  I  hear  him  cry  out! 


296  COLUMBIA 

"  'Oh!  my  wife  and  child!  Each  aching  member 
of  this  racked,  tortured  body  would  I  give  to  know 
they  were  free  from  the  persecutions  of  my  wicked 
brother! '  " 

"Whom  meant  he  by  his  wicked  brother?  "  inter 
rupted  the  king,  who  was  all  attention. 

"I  know  not,  my  liege.  He  never  spoke  his  name, 
only  once  making  mention  that  he  conspired  with 
another  to  poison  the  mind  of  the  monarch  against 
him,  so  that  he  was  forced  to  fly.  When  he  was  most 
despondent  and  bewailed  his  wretched  fate  loudest, 
I  sought  to  cheer  him  with  words  from  where  I  sat, 
or  even  venture  a  song,  but  my  own  voice  sounded 
too  like  a  hollow  mockery,  and  at  last  I  -desisted. 
One  by  one  our  fellow-companions  perished  and  were 
borne  away,  until  we  alone  remained.  How  we  did 
it,  I  know  not,  but  Heaven  came  at  last  to  aid  us. 
The  very  iron  bands  which  encircled  us  became  rusted 
and  brittle,  and  one  awful  night  we  broke  from 
our  dungeon  and  fled  to  the  hills  and  mountains. 
Many  weary  days  did  we  wander,  pursued  by  men  and 
beasts,  going  we  knew  not  whither.  Reason  totters 
at  the  recollection,  and  I  hesitate,  my  liege,  to  speak 
of  our  sufferings  and  dangers,  lest  you  grow  incredu 
lous  and  fail  to  believe  my  story.  One  day  when  we 
were  sorely  pressed  by  our  pursuers,  my  companion 
was  wounded  by  an  arrow  and  unable  to  travel 
farther.  I  left  him  in  the  hut  of  a  kind  Andalusian 
mountain  shepherd  on  the  frontier,  who  promised 
to  take  care  of  him.  I  wept  as  a  child  at  bidding  him 


FATHER  AND  SON  297 

farewell,  perhaps  forever,  and  after  weeks  of  weary 
flight,  I  was  picked  up  by  some  knights  and  brought 
hither,  broken  down  in  mind  and  body.  This,  my 
liege,  is  my  story." 

"Do  you  know  your  companion's  name?  " 

"I  do,  my  liege,  but  at  his  request  I  have  told  it  to 
none.  Yet,  if  your  highness  demands  it — 

"His  life  may  depend  on  the  revelation.  What 
is  his  name?  " 

"Roderigo  Estevan." 

The  admiral  started  from  his  seat  with  a  glad  cry, 
and  the  king  showed  scarcely  less  pleasure.  The 
sailor  thought  he  could  go  to  the  hut  where  he  had 
left  the  wounded  man,  and  the  king  and  the  admiral 
speedily  fitted  out  a  secret  expedition,  led  by  a  chev 
alier  named  Carpio,  to  go  in  quest  of  the  wounded 
man. 

"I  should  like  to  lead  the  party,"  said  Columbus. 
"I  love  this  youth,  and  it  is  my  duty  to  find  his 
father " 

"We  cannot  think  of  it,  admiral,"  Ferdinand  inter 
posed.  "Your  value  to  the  world  is  too  great  to 
warrant  risking  your  life  among  the  brigands  of  the 
frontier.  Should  you  perish  there  would  be  no  one 
to  guide  men  to  these  newly  acquired  dominions, 
and  all  might  be  lost.  No,  no,  no!  Chevalier  Car 
pio  has  long  been  accustomed  to  such  undertakings 
and  his  familiarity  with  the  frontier  makes  success 
almost  assured.  We  can  trust  him  to  go,  and  you 
must  stay." 


298  COLUMBIA 

When  Hernando  was  informed  that  his  father  was 
alive,  among  the  mountains,  his  joy  was  unbounded. 
So  earnest  were  his  entreaties  that  he  was  permitted 
to  accompany  the  expedition,  which  was  kept  a  pro 
found  secret,  for  the  king  and  Columbus  both  doubted 
Sir  Garcia.  The  admiral  thought  he  could  even  trace 
much  of  his  own  failure  and  delay  to  the  unworthy 
knight. 

The  expedition,  headed  by  Chevalier  Carpio  and 
Hernando,  set  out  at  midnight,  and  before  dawn  of 
day  was  more  than  five  leagues  distant  from  Barce 
lona. 

The  chevalier  was  as  gallant  a  knight  as  ever  wore 
the  golden  spurs  or  led  a  score  of  battle-scarred  vet 
erans.  He  was  as  kind-hearted  as  brave,  and  his  soul 
was  aroused  within  him  at  the  story  of  the  wrongs 
of  Roderigo  Estevan,  so  that  he  swore  by  the  mass 
to  rescue  him  if  alive  and  avenge  him  if  dead. 
Hernando  rode  at  his  side,  and  as  the  chevalier  heard 
the  sad  story  from  his  lips,  he  grew  to  love  the  youth 
as  a  brother. 

"Yours  has  been  a  sad  and  stormy  life,"  said  the 
chevalier;  "but  we  believe  that  the  worst  is  over 
and  you  are  soon  to  realize  your  fondest  hopes,  the 
rescue  of  your  father." 

"Heaven  grant  I  may;  but  I  did  not  dream  he 
was  among  the  Moors.  I  have  always  thought  he 
was  a  slave  to  some  wild  tribe  across  the  ocean." 

"The  words  of  the  Moor  Abdallah  should  have 
aroused  your  suspicion." 


FATHER  AND  SON 


299 


"I  thought  them  but  an  idle  boast,  only  uttered 
to  throw  me  off  the  course  I  was  following." 
"  Abdallah  has  been  a  curse  to  your  family." 
"Should  "we  meet  with  him,  I  pray  you  to  spare 
him  to  my  vengeance." 

With  a  smile  the  chevalier  answered: 
"Surely,  young  as  you  are,  you  would  not  dare 
cross  blades  with  the  war-hardened  Moor." 


THE  HAMLET  AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Abdallah  met  me  in  combat  once  before,  sir 
chevalier,"  said  the  boy,  stoutly;  "and  should  we 
meet  again  my  experience  and  skill  would  be  more 
than  a  match  for  his  strength  and  size." 

All  night  long  the  white-haired  sailor  led  them 
southward,  and  when  morning  dawned  they  were 
at  a  little  hamlet  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  The 


300  COLUMBIA 

inhabitants  were  a  mongrel  class  of  Andalusians, 
Moors,  Ethiopians,  and  Arabs,  who  were  not  a  little 
alarmed  at  seeing  a  body  of  armed  horsemen  enter 
their  village.  No  doubt  the  villagers  were  in  league 
with  the  mountain  robbers  who  infested  the  front 
ier.  Dismounting  at  the  public-house,  Carpio  order 
ed  food  for  his  men  and  horses. 

"We  will  rest  here  for  three  or  four  hours,"  he  said 
to  the  impatient  Hernando,  who  was  all  anxiety  to 
press  on  up  the  mountains  without  a  halt. 

During  the  pause  the  proprietor  of  the  public-house 
made  himself  acquainted  with  the  chevalier  and 
plied  him  with  questions,  which  Carpio  so  skillfully 
parried  as  to  leave  him  no  wiser  than  before. 

"The  sovereigns  of  Spain  promised  not  to  cross 
the  frontier  without  permission  of  the  Moorish  king," 
the  Andalusian  finally  said. 

"We  break  no  treaty,"  answered  the  shrewd 
Carpio. 

"Are  your  searching  for  brigands?  "  asked  the 
Andalusian.  But  nothing  was  gained  by  question 
ing  the  evasive  chevalier,  so  the  Andalusian  aban 
doned  his  plan  and  grew  sullen  and  morose.  He 
retired  to  a  spot  where  a  small  party  of  his  fellows 
were  assembled,  and  they  conversed  in  suspicious 
whispers,  which  portended  no  good  to  our  adventur 
ers. 

There  is  no  season  more  delightful  than  an  An 
dalusian  May,  the  time  of  the  expedition.  The 
party,  taking  leave  of  the  hamlet,  advanced  into  one 


FATHER  AND  SON  301 

of  the  most  delightful  regions  of  all  sunny  Spain. 
On  every  side,  rose  vast  ranges  of  serrated,  ruddy- 
peaked  mountains,  between  which  lay  most  de 
lightful  valleys.  A  wild,  ever-changing  panorama 
of  beauty  opened  up  before  them  —  mountains  tipped 
with  gold  and  bordered  with  emerald,  streams  of 
crystal  and  vermilion,  valleys  dotted  with  flowers  of 
every  hue  pleasing  to  the  eye;  birds  by  day  and 
insects  by  night  making  a  constant  round  of  melody. 

Few  men  were  to  be  seen,  but  occasionally  they 
caught  a  glimpse  of  a  strange,  dark-visaged  Andalu- 
sian  or  Moor  lurking  in  the  wood.  The  sound  of 
clanking  arms  sometimes  brought  forth  from  the 
mountain  cottage  a  woman,  who  shaded  her  eyes  with 
her  hand  while  she  gazed  on  the  glittering  helmets 
and  burnished  lances  of  the  cavaliers. 

In  places  the  mountain  path  became  so  steep  they 
were  forced  to  lead  their  horses;  or,  again,  fol 
lowed  some  winding  path  that  led  along  a  narrow 
ledge  on  the  mountain  side  at  a  dizzy  height,  where 
a  single  misstep  would  hurl  them  to  certain  destruc 
tion,  hundreds  of  feet  below. 

Thus  the  frontier  was  reached,  and  their  guide, 
who  had  silently  led  the  expedition,  informed  them 
that  they  were  within  a  league  of  the  mountain  cot 
tage  where  he  had  left  the  wounded  fugitive.  The 
sun  had  passed  the  meridian,  but  it  was  thought  that 
they  could  reach  the  place  before  night.  Hernando's 
heart  beat  high  with  hope.  After  all  these  years  of 
searching,  was  he,  ere  the  close  of  another  day,  to  see 


WAR-HARDENED  MOOR. 


FATHER  AND  SON  303 

the  face  of  his  father,  which  he  remembered  beaming 
with  kindness  on  him  in  his  infancy?  Was  the  poor 
victim  of  many  wrongs,  groaning  under  the  captivity 
of  years,  to  be  restored  to  liberty  and  friends?  But 
there  has  been  a  miscalculation,  for  nothing  is  more 
deceitful  than  distances  in  a  mountain  country.  In 
silence  they  journey  on,  the  hours  glide  by,  and  yet 
the  cottage  is  not  reached.  Is  the  guide  at  fault; 
has  he  mistaken  his  way? 

Sunset  in  Andalusia!  A  grim,  gray  waste,  bor 
dered  by  an  unending  chain  of  mountains,  looking 
vaster  and  drearier  under  the  fast  falling  shadows  of 
night;  a  red  glow  far  to  the  west  falls  luridly  across 
the  darkening  sky  and  ghostly  mountain  peaks;  a 
dead,  grim  solitude,  an  immense,  crushing  loneliness, 
pervades  the  region  where  life,  save  in  gorgeous  vege 
tation  appears  not  to  exist;  the  world  seems  young, 
as  if  just  turned  from  the  hand  of  the  Creator. 

Like  a  slender  thread  of  silver  the  young  moon 
hangs  in  the  ethereal  vault,  and  the  pale,  lambent 
glow  of  the  evening  star  shoots  athwart  the  path  of 
the  departing  day.  At  the  base,  dimly  outlined 
against  the  darkening  sky,  but  with  clear-cut  peak, 
rises  a  huge  mountain  before  the  little  band.  The 
guide  points  up  the  mountain  side,  and  whispers: 

"There!" 

But  hark!  A  sound  like  the  martial  tread  of 
armies  and  the  clank  of  arms  falls  on  their  ears, 
a  moment  later  three-score  dark-skinned  riders  pour 
out  of  the  mountain  pass.  They  are  Moorish  bandits, 


304  COLUMBIA 

and  the  dim,  uncertain  light  reveals  foe  to  foe.  They 
are  directly  in  the  pathway  to  the  cottage  where  the 
wounded  man  lies.  But  one  result  can  follow  such 
a  discovery. 

With  visors  down  and  lances  couched,  the  Span 
iards,  though  inferior  in  numbers,  charged  recklessly 
on  the  Moors,  who  were  still  pouring  in  from  the  pass. 
There  was  a  prolonged  crash,  like  a  succession  of 
thunderbolts;  lances  flew  into  splinters,  and  men  and 
steeds  rolled  quivering  in  the  dust.  The  first  onset 
was  but  the  beginning  of  carnage.  Swords  flashed 
in  the  twilight  and  arrows  hummed  through  the  air. 
There  was  no  time  to  use  the  matchlock,  and  but  little 
to  fit  the  feathered  points  of  the  darts  to  the  bow 
string.  The  sober  gray  of  twilight  gave  place  to  a 
darker  hue,  and  the  conflict  still  raged,  although  the 
faces  of  the  combatants  were  hardly  discernible.  But 
the  sharp  eyes  of  hate  were  quick  to  pierce  the  deep 
ening  gloom.  At  the  first  onset  Hernando  received  a 
frightful  blow,  which  loosened  his  casque,  and  sent  it 
rolling  upon  the  ground.  He  was  stunned  by  the 
shock,  and  his  horse  thrown  back  upon  its  haunches, 
but  he  still  retained  his  seat. 

"Hernando  Estevan,  Christian  dog,  it  is  you!" 
cried  a  voice.  Then  Abdallah  the  Moor,  his  heredi 
tary  enemy,  charged  him  with  drawn  cimeter.  The 
lad's  sword  was  in  his  hand,  and  he  parried  the  stroke 
aimed  at  his  head;  and  his  horse  regaining  its  feet 
Hernando  pressed  his  antagonist  with  blows  and 
thrusts  which  required  all  the  Moor's  skill  to  parry. 


FATHER  AND  SON  305 

Some  on  foot  and  some  on  horseback,  friend  and  foe 
mingled  in  one  revolving  mass,  difficult  to  distinguish. 
A  lance  pierced  the  Moor's  horse  and  the  animal  fell; 
in  a  moment  the  youth  rode  over  his  fallen  enemy,  and 
as  Abdallah  Ahmed  rolled  from  his  steed,  Hernando 
leaned  forward  in  his  saddle,  and  with  a  quick  thrust 
sent  his  long,  keen  blade  into  the  Moor's  breast. 
Almost  to  the  hilt  the  blade  disappeared  beneath 
the  joints  of  armor,  and  with  a  gasping  sob  the 
Moor  fell  by  the  side  of  his  wounded  horse,  never  to 
rise  again.  Hernando  had  avenged  his  father. 

The  Moors,  though  numbering  three  to  one,  were 
taken  at  a  disadvantage,  and  after  a  short,  stubborn 
resistance  retreated  through  the  pass,  leaving  four 
of  their  number  slain  and  two  wounded  in  the  hands 
of  the  Christians.  From  one  of  the  captives  they 
learned  that  Abdallah  Ahmed,  having  gained  informa 
tion  that  an  escaped  prisoner  was  hiding  at  the  cot 
tage  of  a  shepherd,  was  on  his  way  to  slay  the  fugi 
tive,  when  he  met  the  Spanish  cavalcade  in  the 
pass. 

"Let  us  hasten  to  the  cottage,"  cried  the  anxious 
Hernando,  and  as  soon  as  the  wounded  could  be 
taken  care  of,  they  followed  the  white-haired  guide 
up  the  mountain  path  to  a  small  hut. 

The  simple-minded,  honest  shepherd  met  them  at 
the  door.  He  had  heard  the  sounds  of  conflict  in 
the  valley  below,  and  being  a  timid  man,  trembled  as 
he  asked:- 

"In  God's  name,  men,  what  was  the  noise  in  the 

Vol.  1—20 


306  COLUMBIA 

valley?  Methought  all  the  armies  of  the  earth  were 
battling." 

"All  is  quiet  now,  and  you  are  in  no  danger, 
sefior,"  Carpio  answered.  "Where  is  the  fugitive 
who  escaped  the  Moorish  prisons  and  was  wounded?" 

For  a  moment  the  mountaineer  hesitated,  and  then 
said: 

"I  cannot  deceive  you,  senor;  he  is  here,  but  I 
trust  you  will  do  him  no  harm." 

"We  are  his  friends,  come  to  save  him." 

They  were  then  admitted  to  the  cottage,  where  a 
tall,  grave  man,  with  a  broad,  high  forehead,  deep, 
black  eyes  and  hair  of  purest  white,  was  sitting  on  a 
chair,  his  wounded  leg  on  a  stool.  One  glance  at  the 
fine,  noble  face,  and  despite  the  changed,  wasted 
features,  Hernando  recognized  him  he  had  sought  so 
long.  Rushing  forward,  he  cried: 

"Father!" 

Amazed,  scarcely  trusting  his  ears,  Roderigo 
Estevan,  clasped  the  lad  to  his  heart  and  cried, 
"Noble  lad,  if  you  are  indeed  my  son,  I  am  fully 
repaid  for  my  years  of  suffering." 

"I  am  your  son,  dear  father,  never  more  to  be 
parted  from  you,"  said  Hernando. 

Then  they  sat  at  the  shepherd's  humble  board, 
ate  of  his  simple  fare  and  listened  to  tales  of  adven 
ture  and  encounters  with  Moorish  bandits.  The  pris 
oner  rescued  from  a  living  death  thrilled  the  hearts 
of  all  with  the  horrors  of  his  long  imprisonment. 
Hernando  had  the  wonders  of  his  voyage  to  relate  to 


FATHER  AND  SOU  '  307 

an  eager  listener  and  when  the  morning  sun  rose 
beyond  the  mountain  ranges  and  turned  the  peaks  to 
shining  gold,  father  and  son  were  still  engaged  in 
earnest  conversation. 

At  an  early  hour  the  expedition  was  making  rapid 
progress  toward  Barcelona.  They  had  scarcely 
reached  the  city  when  a  messenger  from  the  king 
ordered  Roderigo  to  appear  before  him.  So  grieved 
was  the  monarch  at  the  wrongs  which  the  innocent 
man  had  suffered,  and  so  eager  was  he  to  make 
amends  for  this  miscarriage  of  justice,  that  a  general 
pardon  was  ordered  at  once,  clearing  forever  the  name 
of  Roderigo  Estevan  from  the  stain  of  dishonor. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

EMIGRATION. 

THE  higher  a  man  rises  in  social  and  political 
power,  the  greater  will  be  his  fall,  should  he  fall; 
and  to  a  man  with  a  vaulting  ambition  and  haughty 
pride,  such  as  Sir  Garcia  Estevan  possessed,  the 
blow  is  crushing.  From  the  moment  the  herald 
announced  the  return  of  Christopher  Columbus,  the 
knight  felt  that  his  evil  star  had  risen  and  his  good 
fortune  gone  forever.  Yet  so  cunningly  had  his 
manipulations  with  Miguel  been  planned  that  he  felt 
secure  from  direct  charge  of  assassination,  perhaps 
from  discovery.  Miguel  himself  had  been  slain  with 
out  breathing  a  word  of  the  dark  secret,  and  not 
dreaming  that  his  brother  lived,  Sir  Garcia  felt  him 
self  tolerably  secure. 

But  on  Roderigo's  sudden  return  to  life,  Garcia 
shut  himself  up  in  his  castle,  brooding  and  consumed 
with  dread.  He  feared  an  actual  encounter.  He 
dared  not  meet  Columbus  or  Hernando  face  to  face. 
His  hatred  toward  all  three  deepened  from  day  to 
day. 

Any  unusual  sound  through  the  rooms,  any  arrival 
in  the  court  below,  set  him  all  a-tremble;  and  he 
would  rise  from  his  chair  and  tramp  wretchedly  and 
308 


EMIGRATION  309 

endlessly  about  his  apartments,  crying  out  against 
his  fate. 

The  story  of  his  brother's  wrongs,  meantime,  had 
gone  forth  among  the  people  and  rumors  of  imminent 
downfall  seemed  fairly  to  filter  through  the  walls  and 
enwrap  him  in  a  cloud  of  terror.  He  seemed  to  hear 
accusing  voices;  he  looked  into  his  attendants' 
faces  with  shudders  of  apprehension. 

The  blow  fell  one  day,  quite  suddenly  and  unan 
nounced.  A  messenger  from  the  king  demanded 
entrance  to  the  knight's  presence.  When  admitted, 
the  man  spoke  without  waste  of  words:  "I  am  an 
officer  from  his  majesty,  come  with  a  warrant.  I 
arrest  you  on  a  charge  of  conspiracy." 

Sir  Garcia  sprang  from  his  chair.  "Conspiracy! 
I,  a  sworn  knight,  a  conspirator  against  my  king?  " 
And  he  clutehed  the  officer's  arm  in  an  iron  grip. 

"Nay,  sir  knight,  it  is  not  with  treason  against 
the  crown  that  you  stand  charged,  but  with  con 
spiracy  against  a  subject  of  the  realm." 

"Who?     What  is  his  name?" 

"Sir  Roderigo  Estevan." 

"Sir  Roderigo  Estevan,"  muttered  the  knight; 
"my  brother  returned  to  life."  His  hand  fell  help 
lessly  and  he  let  himself  be  led  away. 

None  knew  better  than  Garcia  the  character  of  the 
king's  action  toward  offenders  such  as  he.  Stern 
almost  to  the  extent  of  wanting  mercy,  Ferdinand 
needed  all  the  softening  influence  of  his  queen's 
gentle  heart  to  mitigate  the  severity  of  his  judgments 


310  COLUMBIA 

and  decisions.  This  sternness  we  may  doubtless 
trace  to  the  three  absorbing  and  entirely  successful 
objects  of  his  life  —  the  conquest  of  the  Moors,  the 
expulsion  of  the  Jews,  and  the  installation  of  the 
Inquisition.  Unsparing  toward  enemies  of  the  king 
dom  and  the  Church,  he  strove  to  maintain  as  strict 
justice  in  all  affairs  of  his  court.  Garcia  knew  he 
might  expect  no  mercy  at  the  hands  of  his  king. 

On  hearing  of  his  brother's  arrest,  Roderigo  hast 
ened  to  the  monarch  and  pleaded  for  a  royal  pardon. 
The  king  listened  with  an  attentive  ear,  and  when 
Estevan  had  ended  he  said:  "  I  cannot  but  commend 
your  forgiving  spirit,  but  out  of  public  necessity  I 
must  refuse  your  prayer.  Justice  must  be  done 
though  the  heavens  fall,  and  justice  demands  that 
a  crime  against  a  subject,  as  well  as  against  the  crown, 
shall  not  go  unpunished."  All  entreaty  was  in  vain; 
and  through  the  years  that  followed,  Roderigo's 
petitions  were  ever  met  with  the  same  determined 
refusal. 

The  king  continued:  "Senor  Estevan,  I  wish  in 
part,  at  least,  to  make  amends  for  some  of  the  great 
wrongs  you  have  suffered  at  my  hands." 

"My  liege,  I  make  no  complaint."  Roderigo 
answered. 

"True,  and  the  fact  that  you  have  made  none 
makes  me  feel  more  keenly  the  hurt  I  have  done  you. 
I  wish  to  undo  those  errors.  How  can  I  in  any  way 
accomplish  this  now?  No  one  save  a  monarch 
devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  kingdom  knows  the 


EMIGRATION  311 

trials  to  which  he  who  wears  the  crown  is  sub 
jected.  We  cannot  see  all  things ;  we  cannot  give 
every  matter  a  personal  investigation;  and,  as  was 
true  in  your  case,  we  are  frequently  misinformed  by 
designing  persons.  When  we  have  made  a  mistake, 
'we  are  anxious  to  find  a  remedy.  Amends  for  your 
misfortunes  you  can  perhaps  suggest  yourself.  Shall 
I  not  restore  your  ancient  estate?  " 

"My  liege,  I  have  left  to  me  only  the  declining 
years  of  my  life.  My  one  desire  is  to  spend  the  few 
years  left  me  in  company  with  my  only  son,  from 
whom  I  have  been  separated  since  his  infancy." 

"Will  you  then,  for  your  son's  sake  if  not  your 
own,  accept  a  title?" 

"My  liege—   "  began  Roderigo. 

But  Hernando  had  stepped  forward.  "Your 
majesty,"  he  began,  "I  beg  to  win  that  honor,  if 
it  comes  at  all,  by  my  own  worth  and  effort.  Your 
majesty  has  vast  possessions  beyond  the  sea.  A 
new  world  has  been  opened  up  to  civilized  man,  and 
with  your  majesty's  gracious  permission  we  will 
go  there  and  serve  your  majesty  and  win  fresh 
laurels  for  our  house." 

"My  son  speaks,  I  am  convinced,  with  a  wisdom 
and  courage  far  beyond  his  years,"  said  the  father. 
"The  greatest  honor  a  man  can  win  is  the  esteem 
of  his  fellow  man.  My  son  is  too  young  to  be  knighted 
and  the  favor  should  not  be  conferred  on  the  father 
for  what  the  son  has  done  or  shall  yet  do.  We  ask 
no  honors;  we  are  only  humble  citizens  who  go  forth 


312  COLUMBIA 

to  make  up  the  hardy  people  that  are  to  build  a  new 
empire." 

"And  you  are  most  needed,"  answered  the  king 
with  fine  enthusiasm.  "The  hidalgoes  of  high  rank, 
the  Andalusian  cavaliers,  schooled  in  arms,  who 
enter  on  this  new  life  hoping  for  military  glory, 
wealth,  and  renown,  are  worth  not  half  so  much  to 
the  new  country  as  are  those  who  go  to  make  the 
wilderness  clear  to  faithful  labor  and  the  earth 
yield  her  fruits  to  man.  I  will  issue  a  commission 
to  you,  with  a  patent,  and  grant  to  you  all  the  land 
you  may  require;  and  you  may  locate  it  anywhere 
in  our  newly  acquired  possessions." 

Estevan  thanked  his  sovereign,  and  assured  him 
that  the  land-grant  would  be  worth  much  more 
than  an  impoverished  estate  or  an  empty  title. 
They  had  a  long  interview  with  Christopher  Colum 
bus,  agreeing  to  become  members  of  the  emigrant 
party,  which  was  to  leave  Spain  shortly  for  the  New 
World. 

They  then  set  out  for  Seville,  going  thence  to 
Palos.  A  messenger  had  been  sent  in  advance  to 
notify  the  good  grandmother  of  the  return  of  Her- 
nando's  father. 

Christina  was  as  eager  to  see  the  good  Roderigo 
Estevan  as  if  he  had  been  her  own  father.  Was 
he  not  already  like  a  father?  And  when  she  beheld 
the  face  so  deeply  furrowed  with  grief  and  hopeless 
imprisonment,  she  embraced  him  and  wept  for  joy 
that  he  was  restored  to  his  family. 


EMIGRATION  313 

Once  more  Hernando  and  Christina  roamed  hand 
in  hand  by  the  seashore.  Her  embarrassment  gone, 
she  was  never  more  happy  than  when  at  his  side. 
Again  their  voices  were  heard  among  the  dear  old 
hills,  and  they  sat  and  listened  to  the  dashing  surf 
on  the  seashore.  The  waves  laughed  and  bubbled 
with  joy.  Their  crested  foam  told  no  tale  of  cap 
tivity,  slavery,  and  chains.  The  birds  joined  in 
their  music  from  the  groves  behind  them  and  gave 
their  aid  to  the  laughing  sea  to  make  up  one  grand 
round  of  merriment.  In  the  fullness  of  her  joy 
Christina  said: 

"  We  have  every  cause  to  be  happy.  Our  troubles 
have  rolled  away  like  a  storm  cloud  leaving  the  sun 
brighter  than  before,  and  the  future  bids  fair  to  be 
a  long  summer  day  of  quiet  joy." 

After  a  moment's  silence,  Hernando  said: 

"Christina,  we  have  decided  to  go  to  the  New 
World." 

"Who?" 

"Father  and  I." 

"Will  you  leave  me  so  soon?"  and  before  the 
question  had  escaped  her  lips  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears. 

"I  shall  soon  return,  Christina,  and  with  such 
riches  as  you  nor  I  ever  dreamed  of  possessing;  then 
I  will  take  you  and  the  good  grandame  Senora 
Doria  with  me,  and  there  in  that  strange,  new  land 
we  will  build  us  a  home  that  in  magnificence  will 
excel  the  king's  palace.  The  king  has  issued  a  patent 


314  COLUMBIA 

and  grant  to  us,  and  the  future  is  bright  with 
hope." 

It  must  not  be  supposed  by  the  reader  that  Her- 
nando's  vision  of  great  wealth  was  a  mere  creation 
of  his  youthful  imagination.  The  most  extravagant 
fancies  regarding  the  New  World  were  entertained 
by  all  members  of  the  expedition.  The  accounts 
given  by  the  voyagers  who  composed  the  first  crew 
were  full  of  exaggerations,  for,  in  fact,  they  had 
nothing  but  confused  notions  concerning  it,  like  the 
recollection  of  a  dream;  and  it  is  evident  that  Colum 
bus  himself  had  beheld  everything  through  the 
delusive  medium  of  his  hopes.  The  cupidity  of  the 
avaricious  was  inflamed  by  the  idea  of  regions  of 
unappropriated  wealth,  where  the  rivers  rolled  over 
golden  sands  and  the  mountains  teemed  with  gems 
and  precious  metals;  where  groves  produced  spices 
and  perfumes  and  the  shores  of  the  ocean  were  strewn 
with  pearls. 

But  Christina  had  found  the  months  of  weary 
waiting  for  Hernando's  return  from  the  first  voyage 
almost  unbearable,  and  could  not  easily  be  persuaded 
to  sacrifice  her  present  happiness  for  prospects  of 
wealth  or  the  anticipation  of  greater  happiness  in 
the  future.  After  a  few  days,  however,  she  became 
somewhat  reconciled  to  the  thought  and  reluctantly 
consented  to  his  leaving.  In  due  time,  Hernando 
and  his  father  set  out  for  Barcelona,  where  Colum 
bus  still  tarried,  pending  preparations  for  his  more 
extensive  visit  to  the  New  World. 


EMIGRATION  315 

Some  complications  had  arisen  between  Spain 
and  Portugal,  over  territorial  rights.  These  were 
settled  temporarily  by  the  pope's  drawing  an  imagi 
nary  line  from  the  North  to  the  South  Pole,  a  hundred 
leagues  west  of  the  Azores  and  Cape  de  Verde  Islands; 
ceding  to  Spain  all  lands  that  might  be  discovered 
west  of  the  line  and  reserving  for  Portugal  all  newly 
discovered  countries  east  of  the  boundary  line. 

A  doctrine  had  been  established  among  Christian 
princes  during  the  Crusades,  which  gave  to  them 
the  right  to  invade,  ravage,  and  seize  upon  the 
territories  of  infidel  nations,  under  the  plea  of  defeat 
ing  the  enemies  of  Christ  and  extending  the  sway  of 
His  Church  on  earth.  In  conformity  to  the  same 
doctrine,  the  pope,  by  reason  of  his  superior  authority 
over  all  temporal  things,  was  considered  as  em 
powered  to  dispose  of  all  heathen  lands  to  such 
potentates  as  would  engage  to  reduce  them  to  the 
dominion  of  the  Church  and  propagate  the  true 
faith  among  their  benighted  inhabitants. 

With  these  matters  adjusted  satisfactorily,  prep 
arations  for  the  second  voyage  continued. 

Pinelo,  who  acted  as  cashier  to  provide  for  the 
expenses  of  the  expedition,  had  two-thirds  of  the 
Church  tithes  placed  at  his  disposition;  while  other 
funds  were  drawn  from  the  jewels  and  valuables  of 
the  sequestered  property  of  the  unfortunate  Jews 
banished  from  the  kingdom  according  to  an  edict  of 
the  preceding  year.  As  these  resources  were  still 
inadequate,  Pinelo  was  authorized  to  supply  the  de- 


316  COLUMBIA 

ficiency  by  a  loan.  Requisitions  were  likewise  made 
for  provisions  of  all  kinds,  as  well  as  for  artillery,  pow 
der,  muskets,  lances,  horses,  corselets,  and  cross-bows. 
Notwithstanding  the  introduction  of  firearms,  the 
cross-bow  was  still  preferred  by  many  to  the  arquebus, 
or  matchlock,  not  so  much  because  of  its  being 
more  destructive  and  effective,  as  on  account  of  the 
unwieldiness  of  the  arquebus  which  had  to  be  rested 
on  an  iron  rack  and  fired  with  a  slow-match.  The 
flintlock  which  followed  the  matchlock  had  not  yet 
come  into  use.  The  military  stores  which  had  accu 
mulated  during  the  war  with  the  Moors  of  Granada 
furnished  a  great  part  of  these  supplies.  Almost 
all  these  orders  had  been  issued  by  the  23d  of  May, 
1493,  while  Columbus  was  yet  at  Barcelona,  and 
rarely  has  there  been  witnessed  such  a  scene  of 
activity  in  the  dilatory  offices  of  Spain. 

Roderigo  Estevan  was  still  lame  from  the  arrow 
wound  received  at  the  time  of  his  escape,  and  had 
to  walk  with  a  staff.  But  he  was  recuperating  rapid 
ly,  and  by  the  time  he  and  his  son  returned  to  Bar 
celona,  was  restored  to  something  like  youthful  activ 
ity.  Going  to  the  admiral  he  told  him  of  his  inten 
tion  to  emigrate  to  the  new  world. 

The  conversion  of  the  heathen  being  professedly 
the  great  object  of  these  discoveries,  twelve  zealous 
and  able  ecclesiastics  were  chosen  to  accompany  the 
expedition  for  that  purpose;  among  them  was  Ber 
nardo  Buyl  or  Boyle,  a  Benedictine  monk  of  talent 
and  reputed  sanctity,  but  at  the  same  time  one  of 


EMIGRATION  317 

the  subtlest  politicians  of  the  cloister,  in  a  day  when 
the  state  was  almost  wholly  controlled  by  the  clergy. 
Before  the  sailing  of  the  fleet  he  was  appointed  by  the 
pope  his  apostolic  vicar  for  the  New  World,  and 
placed  as  superior  over  his  ecclesiastical  brethren. 

By  way  of  offering  Heaven  the  first  fruits  of  these 
pagan  nations,  the  six  Indians  whom  Columbus  had 
brought  to  Barcelona  were  baptized  with  great  state 
and  ceremony,  the  king  and  queen  and  Prince  Juan 
officiating  as  sponsors.  Great  hopes  were  enter 
tained  that  on  their  return  to  their  native  country, 
they  would  facilitate  the  introduction  of  Christianity 
among  their  countrymen. 

Before  the  departure  of  Columbus  from  Barcelona, 
the  provisional  agreement  made  at  Sante  Fe  was  con 
firmed,  granting  him  titles,  emoluments,  and  preroga 
tives  of  admiral,  viceroy,  and  governor  of  all  the 
countries  he  had  discovered  or  might  discover.  He 
was  also  entrusted  with  the  royal  seal,  with  authority 
to  use  the  names  of  their  majesties  in  granting  letters 
patent  and  commissions  within  the  bounds  of  his 
jurisdiction;  with  the  right,  also,  in  case  of  absence, 
to  appoint  whomsoever  he  chose  in  his  place,  and  to 
invest  him  for  the  time  with  the  same  powers. 

Cadiz  was  to  be  the  scene  of  the  second  departure 
of  Columbus,  and  thither  all  stores  and  valuables 
were  sent.  Thither  flocked  adventurers,  statesmen, 
and  ecclesiastics,  all  desirious  of  entering  upon  a 
voyage  from  which,  a  few  months  before,  everybody 
shrank.  It  was  not  a  question  of  who  could  be  in- 


318  COLUMBIA 

duced  to  go,  but  of  who  should  be  selected  from  among 
the  many  applicants.  Among  the  noted  personages 
who  engaged  in  the  expedition  was  the  young  cava 
lier,  Don  Alonzo  de  Ojeda,  a  relative  of  the  grand 
inquisitor  of  Spain,  a  man  of  good  family  and  reared 
under  the  patronage  of  Columbus'  friend,  the  Duke 
of  Medina  Celi.  He  had  fought  in  the  wars  against 
the  Moors,  and  because  of  extraordinary  personal 
endowments  and  a  daring  spirit,  was  considered  a 
great  acquisition  to  the  expedition. 

Hernando  and  his  father  hastened  to  the  little 
cottage  near  Palos,  to  gather  up  a  few  effects  and  take 
final  leave  of  Christina  and  the  good  grandmother 
before  departing  on  the  long  voyage.  Hernando 
little  knew  the  disappointments  in  store  for  him,  nor 
did  he  realize  the  years  of  separation  that  were  to 
follow  this  parting  with  Christina.  He  seemed  to  be 
living  in  the  future,  while  Christina,  woman-like,  was 
enduring  bravely  the  agony  of  the  separation,  which 
her  intuition  told  her  would  bring  weary  years  of  wait 
ing,  and  she  responded  but  feebly  to  Hernando's 
attempt  to  be  cheerful.  With  the  father  it  was  en 
tirely  different.  He  cared  little  if  he  never  returned 
to  the  scenes  of  so  much  misery.  His  thoughts,  until 
now,  had  been  of  Hernando  and  his  future;  but  when 
they  reached  the  crest  of  the  hill  which  was  to  sep 
arate  them  from  the  little  home  they  were  leaving 
and  as  they  turned  to  wave  a  last  farewell  before 
beginning  the  descent,  Roderigo  turned  to  his  son 
and  broke  the  silence. 


EMIGRATION  319 

"We  are  leaving  the  little  cottage  home,  and 
I  shall  probably  never  return.  Many  memories, 
pleasant  and  painful,  dwell  about  the  place,  and  I 
cannot  leave  it  without  a  heartache.  It  was  there 
I  took  your  sweet  young  mother  in  her  blushing 
womanhood,  and  there  we  lived  the  few  blissful  hours 
of  joy  allotted  to  us;  there  you  were  born.  But, 
my  son,  other  and  sadder  memories  dwell  there. 
From  that  cottage  I  fled  for  life,  pursued  by  the  avar 
ice  and  hatred  of  one  who  by  nature  should  have 
defended  me.  There  I  embraced  your  mother  for  the 
last  time  and  went  forth  to  a  living  death.  We  shall 
be  happier,  no  doubt,  in  the  new  home  we  shall  make 
in  that  new  world.  We  go  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a 
powerful  nation.  Kings  and  lines  of  kings  yet  unborn 
will  live  to  bless  the  first  emigrants  to  that  new  land." 

The  journey  to  Cadiz  lay  through  a  country 
wild  with  excitement.  It  seemed  as  if  all  South 
Spain  would  gladly  migrate  across  the  western  ocean 
to  the  unknown  regions  of  the  New  World.  They 
found  the  admiral  at  Cadiz  superintending  the  em 
barkation.  Greeting  them  warmly,  he  took  the  hand 
of  Hernando  and  said: 

"Since  you  have  found  your  father,  I  have  lost 
a  son.  I  wish  I  might  have  you  with  me  as  con 
stantly  as  on  the  other  voyage,  but  I  cannot  ask  you 
to  abandon  your  father  and  cleave  to  me." 

"You  shall  always  be  my  great  admiral,  and  I 
will  always  serve  you,"  the  youth  returned. 

Columbus  made  no  answer  but  he  embraced  the 


320  COLUMBIA 

lad  with  tenderest  affection,  struggling  to  control 
his  emotions. 

The  departure  of  Columbus  on  his  second  voyage 
of  discovery  presented  a  brilliant  contrast  to  his 
gloomy  embarkation  at  Palos.  At  dawn  of  day  on 
the  25th  of  September,  1493,  the  bay  of  Cadiz  was 
whitened  by  his  fleet.  Three  large  ships  and  four 
teen  caravels  loitered  and  waited  with  flapping  sails 
the  signal  to  get  under  way.  The  harbor  resounded 
with  the  well-known  sound  of  the  sailor  hoisting  sail 
or  weighing  anchor.  A  motley  crowd  was  hurrying 
on  board  and  taking  leave  of  friends,  confident  of 
a  prosperous  voyage.  Many  anticipated  an  early 
return;  others,  eager  to  escape  the  vengeance  of  a 
broken  law,  were  going  to  that  strange,  wild  world, 
to  begin  a  new  and,  they  hoped,  a  better  life. 

There  was  the  high-spirited  cavalier  bound  on  ro 
mantic  enterprise;  the  hardy  navigator,  ambitious 
of  acquiring  laurels  in  those  unknown  seas;  the  roving 
adventurer,  seeking  novelty  and  excitement;  the 
keen,  calculating  speculator,  eager  to  profit  by  the 
ignorance  of  savage  tribes;  and  the  pale  missionary 
from  the  cloister,  anxious  to  extend  the  dominion  of 
the  Church,  devoutly  zealous  for  the  propagation 
of  the  faith.  All  were  full  of  animation  and  lively 
hope.  Instead  of  being  regarded  by  the  populace  as 
deluded  men,  bound  upon  a  dark  and  desperate  en 
terprise,  they  were  contemplated  with  envy,  as 
favored  mortals  going  to  golden  regions  and  happy 
climes,  where  nothing  but  wealth,  luxury,  wonders, 


EMIGRATION  321 

and  delights  awaited  them.  Columbus,  conspicuous 
for  his  height  and  commanding  appearance,  was 
attended  by  his  two  sons,  Diego  and  Fernando  —  the 
eldest  but  a  stripling  —  who  had  come  to  Cadiz  to 
witness  the  departure  of  their  illustrious  father  on  his 
second  voyage.  Wherever  the  admiral  went,  every 
eye  followed  him  and  every  tongue  sounded  his 
praises. 

Standing  on  the  high  poop-deck  of  one  of  the 
largest  vessels  was  Roderigo  Estevan,  the  emigrant, 
with  his  son  Hernando.  Anchor  was  weighed, 
and  amid  the  wildest  cheers,  the  thunder  of  can 
non,  and  the  waving  of  banners,  the  fleet  set  sail. 

Long  after  the  fleet  had  been  under  way  Her 
nando  stood  gazing  off  at  the  lovely  hills  of  Spain, 
until  the  shores  of  the  Old  World  faded  from  his 
sight. 


Vol.  1—21 


CHAPTER  XX. 

DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE. 

A  SEA  voyage  in  the  olden  time,  when  naviga 
tion  was  in  its  infancy,  was  a  different  affair  from 
the  sea  voyage  of  to-day  —  where  one  rides  in  a 
floating  palace,  and  most  of  the  dangers  and  incon 
veniences  of  storms  and  rough  weather  are  over 
come.  Then,  months  instead  of  days  were  occu 
pied  in  crossing  the  ocean. 

Before  his  departure  Columbus  had  given  the 
commander  of  each  vessel  a  sealed  letter  of  instruc 
tions,  in  which  was  specified  his  route  to  the  harbor 
of  Nativity,  the  residence  of  the  cacique  Guaca- 
nagari.  These  instructions  were  to  be  opened  only 
in  case  of  their  being  separated  by  accident,  as  he 
wished  to  leave  a  mystery,  as  long  as  possible, 
the  exact  route  to  the  newly  discovered  country, 
lest  adventurers  of  other  nations,  particularly  the 
Portuguese,  should  follow  in  his  track  and  inter 
fere  with  his  enterprises. 

When  in  mid-ocean  they  encountered  a  fearful 
rain-storm  one  night,  during  which  they  saw  those 
-lambent  flames  usually  called  'St.  Elmo's  fire, 
playing  on  the  masts  of  the  vessels.  These  lights 
have  always  been  objects  of  superstitious  awe 
322 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE      323 

among  sailors.  When  they  appeared  Columbus 
explained:  "It  is  the  body  of  St.  Elmo  and  we 
may  now  hold  it  for  certain  that  no  one  is  in  dan 
ger  of  this  tempest."  Then  the  crew  joined  in 
chanting  litanies  and  orisons. 

They  reached  the  island  of  Dominica,  where 
they  made  a  short  stay,  and  then  continued  west 
ward,  discovering  the  Antilles.  The  first  landing 
was  made  at  Guadaloupe,  where  the  savages  were  so 
much  frightened  that  they  ran  away,  and  in  their 
terror  and  confusion  left  their  children  behind  them. 

Hernando,  who  was  one  of  the  first  to  go  ashore, 
caressed  one  of  the  screaming  infants  and  to  amuse 
it,  bound  hawks-bells  to  its  arms.  All  the  other 
little  fellows,  anxious  for  some  of  the  same  toys, 
soon  gathered  about  him,  and  were  treated  in  a 
like  manner. 

The  Spaniards  continued  cruising  about  among 
the  islands,  going  farther  southwest,  and  finding 
among  some  of  them  what  they  thought  to  be  evi 
dences  of  cannibalism. 

On  the  14th  of  November,  owing  to  a  stress  of 
weather,  Columbus  was  forced  to  put  in  at  one 
of  the  Carib  islands,  called  by  the  Indians  "Ayay," 
but  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  "Santa  Cruz." 
Hernando's  father  was  sent  on  shore  with  a  well- 
manned  boat,  to  get  water  and  procure  information. 
They  found  a  village  deserted  by  the  men,  but 
secured  a  few  women  and  boys,  most  of  them 
captives  from  other  islands. 


324  COLUMBIA 

Hernando,  who  had  been  left  to  watch  the  coast, 
now  ran  to  his  father,  and  cried: 

"Father,  I  see  a  canoe  coming  round  a  point 
of  land;  look,  it  is  in  view  of  the  ships." 

"You  are  right,  my  son.  They  knew  nothing 
of  our  presence.  See,  they  gaze  in  wonder  on  the 
ships!  Come  now,  while  they  are  so  absorbed,  let 
us  steal  upon  them  and  capture  them." 

The  Spaniards  leaped  into  their  boat,  and  pulled 
with  all  possible  speed  for  the  canoe.  They  were 
almost  on  it  before  discovered.  With  a  savage 
yell,  the  Indians  seized  their  paddles  and  tried  to 
escape,  but  could  not,  as  the  boat  was  between 
them  and  the  land,  cutting  off  their  retreat. 

"They  are  going  to  fight,"  cried  Hernando,  as 
the  savages  caught  up  their  bows  and  arrows, 
which  they  used  with  great  vigor  and  rapidity. 
Notwithstanding  that  the  Spaniards  covered  them 
selves  with  their  bucklers,  two  of  them  were 
wounded.  The  women  fought  as  desperately  as  the 
men,  and  one  of  them  shot  an  arrow  with  such 
force  that  it  passed  through  a  buckler,  wounding 
the  man  who  held  it.  At  Roderigo's  command, 
the  Spaniards  dashed  their  boat  against  the  canoe, 
capsizing  it. 

But  the  trouble  was  not  over,  for  some  of  the 
savages  climbed  upon  the  sunken  rocks,  and  others 
discharged  their  arrows  while  swimming. 

"Don't  hurt  them  if  you  can  avoid  it,"  cried 
Roderigo;  but  Ruiz,  a  sailor,  being  hard  pressed 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE     325 

by  one  fellow,  transfixed  him  with  a  lance.  One 
by  one  they  were  overtaken  and  captured  with  the 
greatest  difficulty,  and  brought  to  shore,  where 
the  man  who  had  been  run  through  with  the  lance, 
soon  died.  One  of  the  women,  from  the  obedience 
and  deference  paid  her,  appeared  to  be  their  queen. 
She  was  accompanied  by  her  son,  a  young  man 
strongly  built,  with  a  lion's  face  and  scowling 
brow.  He  had  been  wounded  in  the  conflict,  but 
seemed  wholly  indifferent  to  pain  or  the  blood 
which  trickled  down  his  side  and  dropped  on  the 
sand.  The  hair  of  these  savages  was  long  and 
coarse;  their  eyes  were  encircled  with  paint  so  as 
to  give  them  a  hideous  expression,  and  bands  of 
cotton  were  firmly  bound  above  and  below  the 
muscular  parts  of  the  arms  and  legs,  so  as  to  cause 
them  to  swell  to  a  disproportionate  size.  The 
Caribs  were  warlike  and  fierce,  and  refused  to  be 
conciliated.  In  the  skirmish  they  used  poisoned 
arrows,  and  one  of  the  wounded  Spaniards  died  in 
a  few  days  from  the  arrow  sent  through  his  buckler 
by  the  woman. 

For  several  days  the  fleet  continued  to  cruise 
about  among  the  Caribs,  trying  in  vain  to  concil 
iate  them,  but  day  by  day  becoming  more  fully 
impressed  with  their  prowess  and  warlike  natures 
Evidences  of  cannibalism  became  so  plain  that  one 
of  the  Spaniards,  Peter  Martyr,  in  his  letter  to 
Pamponius  Lsetus,  says: 

"The  stories  of  Lestrigonians  and  of  Polyphe- 


326  COLUMBIA 

mus,  who  fed  on  human  flesh,  are  no  longer  doubt 
ful!  Attend,  but  beware,  lest  thy  hair  bristle 
with  horror!  " 

It  was  the  23d  day  of  November,  1493,  that  the 
fleet  arrived  off  the  eastern  extremity  of  Hispan- 
iola,  or  what  is  now  known  as  the  island  of  Hayti. 
The  greatest  excitement  prevailed  throughout  the 
crews  at  the  thought  of  soon  arriving  at  the  end 
of  their  voyage.  Memories  of  the  pleasant  days 
passed  among  the  delightful  groves  and  gentle 
natives  haunted  those  who  had  been  here  on  the 
former  voyage,  and  others  looked  forward  with 
eagerness  to  scenes  painted  to  them  in  all  the  cap 
tivating  illusions  of  the  golden  age. 

Hernando  and  his  father,  with  a  dozen  sailors, 
were  sent  ashore  to  bury  the  Biscayan  sailor  who 
had  died  from  the  poisoned  shot  of  the  Carib  queen. 
Two  light  caravels  hovered  near  the  shore  to  guard 
the  boat's  crew  while  the  funeral  ceremony  was 
performed  on  the  beach  under  the  trees.  Several 
natives  came  off  to  the  ship  with  a  message  to 
the  admiral  from  the  cacique  of  the  neighborhood, 
inviting  him  to  land  and  promising  him  great 
quantities  of  gold;  but  Columbus  was  anxious  to 
return  to  Fort  Nativity  and,  giving  the  messengers 
presents,  dismissed  them. 

On  the  25th  they  anchored  in  the  harbor  of 
Monte  Christi,  where  Columbus  was  anxious  to  fix 
upon  a  place  for  a  settlement  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  stream  to  which,  on  his  first  voyage,  he  had 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE      327 

given  the  name  of  Rio  del  Oro,  or  the  Golden  River. 
Among  others  who  landed  here  were  the  Estevans, 
father  and  son.  While  roaming  about  the  coast 
they  were  horrified  to  find  on  the  green  banks  of 
the  rivulet  the  bodies  of  a  man  and  a  boy,  the 
former  with  a  cord  of  Spanish  grass  about  his 
neck,  his  arms  extended  and  tied  by  the  wrists  to 
a  stake  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 

"We  cannot  tell  whether  they  are  Spaniards 
or  Indians,"  the  youth  remarked,  as  he  gazed  at 
the  bodies  before  him. 

"No,  they  have  lain  too  long  for  one  to  deter 
mine,"  the  father  returned. 

"Father,  let  us  not  make  our  home  here." 

"Why?" 

"These  dead  bodies  make  a  forbidding  beginning." 

This  discovery  changed  all  the  plans  of  the 
emigrants,  and  those  who  had  contemplated  land 
ing  here  decided  to  go  on  to  Fort  Nativity. 

Sinister  doubts  and  fears  rose  in  the  breast  of 
the  admiral  on  learning  of  the  discovery,  and  he 
resolved  to  set  sail  at  once  for  the  harbor  of  Nativity. 

On  the  night  of  the  27th  of  November  they  ar 
rived  opposite  the  harbor  they  desired  so  much  to 
reach,  and  cast  anchor  about  a  league  from  land, 
not  daring  to  venture  through  those  dangerous 
reefs  after  dark.  It  was  too  late  to  distinguish 
objects,  and  the  admiral,  anxious  to  let  the  Span 
iards  in  port  know  of  his  arrival,  fired  two  cannon. 

"There  is  no  answer,"   Columbus  exclaimed  in 


328  COLUMBIA 

alarm,  after  listening  to  the  echoes  rolling  along  the 
shore.  "Let  everyone  watch  for  some  gleam  of  a 
signal  light  or  sign  of  life."  All  complied,  but  none 
was  to  be  seen;  darkness  and  a  death-like  silence 
hovered  over  the  scene.  The  admiral  paced  his 
deck  in  the  greatest  anxiety,  and  never  did  he  more 
long  for  morning. 

"I  see  a  canoe,  admiral!"  said  Hernando,  about 
midnight. 

"Where?" 

"Coming  toward  us." 

"Perhaps  it  is  some  of  the  Spaniards  from  the 
fort,"  and  the  anxious  face  of  the  admiral  gleamed 
with  hope  as  he  spoke. 

"No;  there  are  Indians  in  the  boat,"  Hernando 
answered,  when  the  bark  was  near  enough  for  him 
to  make  out  the  occupants. 

"Bring  Diego  Colon  to  the  deck,"  Columbus 
commanded.  The  admiral  was  trembling  with 
anxiety,  for  somehow  he  felt  strangely  certain  that 
all  wras  not  well  with  the  little  colony  he  had  left 
on  the  island. 

Diego  Colon  was  a  young  Lucayan,  native  of  the 
island  of  Guanahani,  who  had  been  baptized  at  Bar 
celona  and  named  after  the  admiral's  brother,  Diego 
Colon.  He  continued  always  faithful  and  devoted 
to  the  Spaniards. 

The  canoe  came  up  to  within  a  cable's  length  of  one 
of  the  ships  and  paused,  and  the  Indians  who  were  in 
it  hailed  the  ship  and  called  for  the  admiral.  They 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE      329 

were  at  once  directed  to  his  ship,  where  Columbus 
stood  on  the  deck  waiting  in  the  greatest  anxiety. 
They  drew  near  and  stopped. 

"Tell  them  to  come  on  board,"  said  Columbus  to 
his  interpreter,  who  stood  at  his  side. 

Diego  Colon  spoke  to  them,  and  asked  why  they 
did  not  come  aboard,  and  was  answered  that  they 
wanted  to  see  the  admiral  before  doing  so.  Columbus 
went  over  to  the  side  of  the  ship,  and  lights  were  held 
up,  that  his  features  might  be  recognized;  then  the 
Indians,  being  satisfied,  came  aboard  the  ship  with 
out  further  hesitation. 

One  of  them,  a  cousin  of  the  cacique  Guacanagari, 
brought  a  present  from  him  of  two  masks  ornamented 
with  gold. 

"Ask  them  about  the  Spaniards  who  remained  on 
the  island,"  said  Columbus  to  his  interpreter.  Some 
how  the  very  manner  of  the  Indians  seemed  to  in 
crease  the  fear  of  the  admiral. 

Diego  Colon  spoke  to  them,  and  for  several  min 
utes  they  continued  conversing  in  a  gibberish,  well- 
nigh  distracting  to  the  eager,  listening  admiral  and 
officers.  Then  Diego  turned  to  Columbus  and  said: 

"My  language,  the  Lucayan,  is  very  different  from 
that  of  Hayti,  and  I  am  not  sure  that  I  understand 
all  they  say;  but  they  seem  to  be  telling  us  that 
several  of  the  Spaniards  fell  sick  and  died,  others 
quarreled  among  themselves,  and  others  removed  to 
a  different  part  of  the  island,  where  they  have  taken 
wives.  Guacanagari  has  been  assailed  by  Caonabo, 


330  COLUMBIA 

the  fierce  cacique  of  the  golden  mountains  of  Cibao, 
who  wounded  him  in  battle  and  burned  his  village, 
so  that  he  remains  ill  of  his  wound  in  a  neighboring 
town;  but  he  will  come  in  person  to  welcome  the 
admiral  tomorrow." 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  story  the  Indians  tell, 
father?"  Hernando  asked,  when  the  account  had  been 
translated.  The  Estevans  were  a  short  distance  from 
the  admiral,  yet  near  enough  to  hear  what  the  inter 
preter  said. 

"I  don't  believe  it,"  answered  the  father. 

"Nor  I." 

"  I  doubt  if  the  admiral  gives  much  credence  to  it." 

"He  has  great  faith  in  the  cacique." 

The  Indian  visitors  were  served  with  wine,  for 
which  they  evinced  a  great  fondness,  and  departed 
considerably  under  its  influence.  Morning  dawned 
and  the  day  advanced  and  began  to  decline  without 
the  promised  visit  from  the  cacique. 

"Why  does  he  not  come?"  the  admiral  asked  him 
self  impatiently  again  and  again.  Hernando,  with 
the  freedom  and  familiarity  which  long  association 
might  warrant,  went  to  Columbus  and  said: 

"The  Indians  may  have  been  lost,  admiral.  They 
left  the  ship  with  their  heads  muddled  by  wine,  and 
it  is  possible  their  canoe  capsized  before  they  reached 
the  shore." 

There  was  a  silence  and  an  extremely  suspicious  air 
of  desertion  about  the  whole  neighborhood.  On  their 
preceding  visit  to  the  harbor  they  had  found  it  a 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE      331 

scene  of  unending  animation;  canoes  gliding  over  the 
waters,  Indians  in  groups  on  the  shores  or  under  the 
trees,  or  swimming  off  to  the  caravel.  Now,  not  a 
canoe  was  to  be  seen,  not  an  Indian  hailed  them  from 
the  land,  nor  was  there  any  smoke  rising  from  among 
the  groves,  to  give  a  sign  of  habitation. 

Roderigo  Estevan,  Hernando,  and  twenty  others 
were  sent  on  shore  to  reconnoitre.  On  landing  they 
hastened  to  the  fortress,  which  they  found  in  ruins;  the 
palisades  were  broken  down,  and  the  whole  presented 
the  appearance  of  having  been  sacked,  burned,  and 
destroyed.  Here  and  there  were  broken  chests, 
spoiled  provisions,  and  the  ragged  remains  of  Euro 
pean  garments. 

"My  son,  there  is  treachery  here,"  said  Rod 
erigo. 

"Surely  something  terrible  has  happened.  Not 
an  Indian  approaches  us,  whereas  on  our  former  visit 
they  were  friendly  as  brothers." 

"The  garrison  has  doubtless  been  murdered,"  said 
Roderigo. 

At  this  moment  Hernando  saw  two  or  three  dark 
faces  watching  them  at  a  distance  among  the  trees; 
and,  calling  his  father's  attention  to  them,  he  said : 

"Let  us  go  to  them.  Perhaps  they  may  be  able 
to  tell  us  something." 

Accompanied  by  his  father  and  Diego  Colon, 
Hernando  started  toward  them;  but  the  faces  van 
ished  at  their  approach,,  and  when  the  three  had 
reached  the  spot  where  the  Indians  had  been  seen, 


332  COLUMBIA 

they  could  find  no  trace  of  them.  Meeting  no  one  to 
explain  the  unhappy  fate  of  the  colony,  they  returned 
with  dejected  hearts  to  the  ships,  and  related  their 
sad  discovery  to  the  admiral. 

Columbus  was  still  loth  to  believe  in  the  perfidy 
of  Guacanagari,  and  went  ashore  next  day  to  look 
for  the  village  of  the  cacique,  which  he  found  to  be  a 
heap  of  burned  ruins,  showing  that  it  had  been  in 
volved  in  the  disaster  of  the  garrison. 

The  admiral  determined  to  take  full  measures 
against  leaving  matters  in  doubt  in  this  manner.  He 
ordered  Arana  to  clear  out  the  well  and  make  every 
possible  search  for  any  evidence  that  might  throw 
light  on  the  mystery,  while  he,  with  Roderigo,  Her- 
nando,  and  three  boats  loaded  with  armed  men,  set 
out  to  look  for  a  better  site  for  a  fortress.  After  pro 
ceeding  about  a  league  they  came  upon  a  hamlet,  the 
inhabitants  of  which  fled  at  their  approach,  taking 
with  them  whatever  they  could  and  hiding  the  rest 
in  the  grass.  In  the  houses  were  European  articles 
which  to  all  appearances  had  not  been  procured  by 
barter,  such  as  stockings,  pieces  of  cloth,  an  anchor 
of  the  wrecked  caravel,  and  a  beautiful  Moorish  robe, 
which  evidently  had  not  been  unfolded  since  brought 
from  Spain.  Not  a  single  European  could  be  found, 
and  the  admiral  returned  to  Fort  Nativity,  where 
he  learned  that  seven  dead  sailors  had  been  found 
buried. 

This  was  Hernando's  first  disappointment  in  the 
New  World  and  it  was  shared  by  every  member  of 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MIMIC  EMPIRE      333 

the  crew,  including  Columbus  himself.  Instead  of 
regions  that  had  been  explored,  they  found  the  same 
impenetrable  mystery.  Instead  of  a  prosperous 
settlement  with  an  accumulation  of  gold,  the  colony 
had  been  wiped  out  of  existence.  Nor  was  that  all. 


AN  INDIAN  VILLAGE. 

When  they  left  these  shores  to  return  to  Spain,  the 
natives  were  as  friendly  as  brothers;  in  fact,  they  had 
looked  upon  the  Spaniards  as  celestial  beings  and  had 
regarded  them  with  adoration.  Now  the  natives  were 
suspicious  of  the  white  men  and  there  were  evidences 
of  base  treachery. 


334  COLUMBIA 

The  outlook  was  not  encouraging,  to  say  the  least, 
but  they  did  not  despair.  Roderigo  Estevan  argued 
that  though  first  attempts  at  building  up  a  new 
empire  might  fail,  he  had  seen  enough  of  this  new 
world  to  believe  it  was  destined  to  become  one  of  the 
mighty  nations  of  earth. 

Later,  Columbus  came  upon  a  village  where  he 
found  the  cacique  Guacanagari  reclining  in  a  ham 
mock  of  cotton  net,  suffering  from  wounds  received 
in  battle.  He  was  much  affected  on  beholding  the 
admiral  and  shed  many  tears  as  he  related  the  disaster 
to  the  garrison  which  he  had  attempted  to  defend. 
He  pointed  out  several  of  his  subjects  present,  who 
had  received  wounds  in  the  battle,  and  referred  to 
them  as  proof  of  his  good  faith.  Subsequent  his 
torians  have  considered  his  conduct  suspicious  and 
have  implicated  him  in  the  death  of  the  Spaniards, 
but  Columbus  did  not  upbraid  or  reproach  him. 

It  is  curious  to  note  this  first  footprint  of  European 
civilization  in  the  New  World.  No  sooner  was  the 
admiral  gone  than  the  Spaniards  left  at  Fort  Nativity 
gave  way  to  their  passions  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
make  the  friendly  Indians  their  enemies. 

Dissensions  grew  up  among  themselves,  which 
finally  resulted  in  open  brawls,  and  they  weakened 
their  numbers  to  such  an  extent  that  they  could 
make  little  resistance  to  their  enemies  when  roused. 
They  disobeyed  Columbus  in  separating  their  forces 
and  in  wandering  away  from  the  fort ;  and  they  paid 
the  penalty  with  their  lives. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  At  I  MIC  EMPIRE      335 

The  destruction  of  this  mimic  empire  presents,  in 
a  diminutive  compass,  an  epitome  of  the  gross  vices 
which  degrade  civilization  and  the  great  political 
errors  which  sometimes  subvert  the  mightiest  empires. 
Public  good  was  sacrificed  to  selfish  interests  and  total 
destruction  was  brought  about  by  aspiring  dema 
gogues,  ambitious  to  command  a  petty  fortress  in  a 
wilderness  and  to  exercise  supreme  control  over  eight 
and  thirty  men. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE     FIRST     CHRISTIAN     CITY     OF     THE     NEW     WORLD. 

THE  Spaniards  at  Nativity  had  experienced  many 
misfortunes,  both  by  land  and  sea,  and  a  cloud  of 
gloom  hovered  over  the  place.  The  ruins  of  the 
fortress  and  the  graves  of  their  murdered  countrymen 
were  continually  before  their  eyes.  The  forests  no 
longer  looked  beautiful  and  inviting.  Instead,  there 
was  a  suspicion  of  treachery  lurking  in  their  shades 
and  the  superstitious  mariners  began  to  look  upon 
the  site  as  under  some  baneful  influence.  These 
were  sufficient  objections  to  discourage  the  colony 
from  settling  here,  but  Hernando  and  his  father,  who 
had  been  scouring  the  vicinity  for  a  suitable  place  to 
settle,  had  discovered  other  drawbacks  of  a  more 
serious  nature.  In  reporting  their  observations  to 
Columbus,  Hernando  called  attention  to  the  natural 
disadvantages  of  the  location. 

"The  land  in  this  locality,"  he  said,  "is low,  moist, 
and  seems  to  be  unhealthful;  and  besides,  admiral, 
we  have  found  no  stones  suitable  for  building  pur 
poses." 

"I  have  determined  to  abandon  the  place  alto 
gether  and  seek  some  more  favorable  situation,"  was 
the  decision  of  the  admiral,  announced  first  to  Her- 
336 


FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CITY  OF  NEW  WORLD     337 

nando  privately  and  then  publicly  to  the  colony. 
"No  time  must  be  lost,"  continued  Columbus. 
"The  animals  on  board  the  ships  are  suffering  from 
long  confinement  and  the  men,  unaccustomed  to 
the  sea,  are  languishing  for  the  refreshment  of 
land." 

Accordingly,  on  the  7th  of  December,  the  fleet 
weighed  anchor  and  set  sail  for  the  port  of  La  Plata, 
but  adverse  weather  drove  them  into  a  harbor  about 
ten  leagues  east  of  Monte  Christi.  This  harbor  was 
spacious  and  was  commanded  by  a  point  of  land 
which,  being  protected  on  one  side  by  a  natural  wall 
of  rocks  and  on  the  other  by  a  dense  forest,  presented 
a  strong  position  for  a  fortress.  Another  and  a 
stronger  inducement  for  them  to  form  their  settlement 
in  this  place  was  the  report  from  the  natives  in  the 
adjacent  village  that  the  mountains  of  Cibao,  where 
the  gold  mines  were  situated,  lay  at  no  great  distance. 
Hernando  was  eager  to  settle  here,  as  he  desired  to 
locate  his  land  grant  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Cibao 
mountains,  where  he  hoped,  with  the  assistance  of 
his  father,  to  accumulate  no  small  amount  of  gold. 
All  seemed  pleased  with  the  beauty  of  the  spot,  and 
unanimously  agreed  that  no  more  favorable  situation 
for  the  colony  could  be  found. 

An  animated  scene  now  presented  itself.  An 
encampment  was  formed  on  the  margin  of  the  plain, 
plans  were  drawn,  and  streets  and  squares  projected. 
In  a  little  while  the  whole  place  was  in  activity,  and 
here  was  formed  the  first  Christian  city  of  the  New 

Vol.  1—22 


338  COLUMBIA 

World,  to  which  Columbus,  in  honor  of  his  royal 
patroness,  gave  the  name  of  Isabella. 

It  has  already  been  pointed  out  that  few  members 
of  the  colony  were  accustomed  to  the  sea  and  all  had 
suffered  severely  from  confinement  and  seasickness, 
and  from  having  to  subsist  for  so  long  a  time  on  salt 
provisions,  much  damaged,  and  mouldy  biscuit. 
The  exposure  on  land,  before  houses  could  be  erected, 
brought  on  maladies  which  left  them  in  no  physical 
condition  for  the  tasks  before  them. 

It  would  be  hard  to  imagine  a  more  disappointed 
lot  of  men  than  these  colonists  who  were  to  inhabit 
this  first  city  of  the  new  world.  Many  had  antici 
pated  the  golden  regions  of  Cipango  and  Cathay, 
where  they  might  amass  wealth  without  labor  or 
even  the  trouble  to  seek  it;  others  expected  to  find 
regions  of  Asiatic  luxury,  abounding  with  delights; 
still  others,  a  splendid  and  open  career  for  gallant 
adventures.  Imagine,  then,  such  a  colony  of  people 
finding  themselves  confined  to  the  margin  of  an 
island,  surrounded  by  an  almost  impenetrable  forest, 
•doomed  to  toil  painfully  in  a  wilderness  for  mere  sub 
sistence  and  able  to  obtain  any  comfort  only  by  the 
severest  exertion!  These  disappointments  sank  deep 
into  their  hearts;  their  spirits  flagged  as  their  golden 
dreams  melted  away;  and  the  gloom  of  despondency 
aided  the  ravages  of  disease. 

Columbus  himself  did  not  escape  the  prevalent 
maladies.  The  responsibilities  under  which  he  found 
himself  kept  his  mind  in  a  state  of  constant  agitation. 


FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CITY  OF  NEW  WORLD     339 

The  cares  of  so  large  a  squadron;  the  incessant  vigil 
ance  required,  not  only  against  the  lurking  dangers  of 
those  unknown  forests,  but  against  the  passions  and 
follies  of  his  followers;  the  distress  he  had  suffered 
because  of  the  murdered  garrison  —  all  these  had 
harassed  his  mind  and  broken  his  rest  while  on  board 
ship.  Since  landing,  new  cares  and  toils  had  crowded 
upon  him,  completely  overpowering  his  strength,  and 
he  was  confined  to  his  bed  by  severe  illness  for  several 
weeks;  but  his  energetic  mind  rose  superior  to  the 
sufferings  of  his  body  and  he  continued  to  give  direc 
tions  for  the  building  of  the  town. 

The  embryo  city  of  Isabella  was  rapidly  assuming 
form.  A  stone  wall  was  built  around  the  town,  pro 
tecting  it  against  any  sudden  attack  by  the  natives; 
and  having  at  length  recovered  from  his  long  illness, 
Columbus  prepared  for  immediate  departure  to  Cibao. 

In  the  meantime,  twelve  of  the  vessels  of  his  squad 
ron  had  been  returned  to  Spain,  under  command  of 
Antonio  de  Torres,  leaving  only  five  for  the  service  of 
the  colony.  Columbus  used  this  opportunity  to  send 
to  Spain  specimens  of  the  gold  already  found  among 
the  rivers  and  mountains  of  Cibao,  and  in  his  report 
to  the  sovereigns  he  repeated  his  confident  anticipa 
tions  of  soon  being  able  to  make  large  shipments  of 
gold,  precious  drugs,  and  spices;  the  search  for  them 
being  delayed  for  the  present  by  his  own  sickness  and 
the  labors  required  in  building  the  infant  city.  He 
reported  that  their  provisions  were  already  running 
low,  and  inasmuch  as  it  would  require  some  little  time 


340  COLUMBIA 

for  them  to  obtain  from  their  own  fields  and  gardens 
an  adequate  supply  for  the  subsistence  of  the  colony, 
which  consisted  of  a  thousand  souls,  he  requested  that 
supplies  be  sent  from  Spain  for  present  needs.  We 
should  not  fail  to  mention  that  the  admiral  in  this 
letter  recommended  to  the  notice  and  favor  of  the 
sovereigns  two  men  at  whose  hands  he  was  destined 
to  receive  the  most  signal  ingratitude,  Pedro  Mar- 
garite  and  Juan  Aguado. 

In  his  letter  there  is  one  suggestion  of  a  most  per 
nicious  tendency,  written  in  that  perverted  view  of 
natural  rights  prevalent  at  the  time,  but  fruitful  of 
much  misery  in  the  world.  Through  mistaken  zeal, 
Columbus  considered  that  the  greater  the  number  of 
these  pagans  transferred  to  the  Catholic  soil  of  Spain 
the  greater  would  be  the  number  of  souls  put  in  the 
way  of  salvation;  and  he  proposed  to  establish  an 
exchange  of  them  as  slaves,  against  live  stock  to  be 
furnished  by  merchants  to  the  colony.  Such  is  the 
strange  sophistry  by  which  upright  men  may  some 
times  deceive  themselves.  Columbus  thought  he  was 
following  the  dictates  of  his  conscience,  when  in 
reality  he  was  allowing  himself  to  be  influenced  by 
consideration  of  his  own  interests.  In  his  eagerness 
to  procure  immediate  profit  for  his  sovereigns  and 
relieve  the  drain  upon  the  treasury,  he  sent,  without 
waiting  for  royal  sanction,  a  consignment  of  Indian 
prisoners,  suggesting  that  they  be  sold  as  slaves  at 
Seville.  But  the  compassionate  spirit  of  Isabella 
revolted  at  the  idea  of  treating  these  gentle  people  as 


FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CITY  OF  NEW  WORLD     341 

slaves.  As  the  patroness  of  the  New  World,  she  looked 
upon  these  people  as  under  her  special  care  and  she 
anticipated  with  pious  enthusiasm  the  glory  of  lead 
ing  them  from  darkness  into  the  paths  of  light.  She 
ordered  that  they  be  sent  back  to  their  native  country, 
and  recommended  that  the  inhabitants  be  conciliated 
by  the  gentlest  means;  but,  unfortunately,  her  orders 
came  too  late  to  Hispaniola.  The  seeds  of  animosity 
had  already  been  sown  and  the  colonists  had  invited 
the  vengeance  of  the  natives. 

The  command  of  the  city  and  ships  during  the 
admiral's  absence  on  this  expedition  into  the  interior 
was  entrusted  to  his  brother,  Don  Diego.  Las  Casas, 
who  knew  Don  Diego  personally,  represented  him  as 
a  man  of  great  merit  and  discretion,  of  a  gentle  and 
pacific  disposition,  and  more  characterized  by  sim 
plicity  _than  by  shrewdness.  He  was  sober  in  his 
attire,  wearing  almost  the  dress  of  an  ecclesiastic,  and 
Las  Casas  thinks  he  had  secret  hopes  of  preferment  in 
the  Church. 

As  the  admiral  intended  to  build  a  fortress  in  the 
mountains  and  make  preparations  for  the  working  of 
the  mines,  he  took  with  him  the  necessary  workmen, 
miners,  and  implements,  and  on  the  12th  of  March 
set  out  at  the  head  of  about  four  hundred  men,  well 
armed  and  equipped.  On  this  expedition  a  road  was 
opened  for  the  march  of  the  army,  which  was  called 
"The  Gentleman's  Pass,"  in  honor  of  the  gallant 
cavaliers  who  effected  it.  This  narrow,  rugged  foot 
path,  winding  among  rocks  and  precipices,  still  exists 


342  COLUMBIA 

in  its  primitive  rudeness  and  is  the  only  practicable 
defile  which  traverses  the  Monte  Christi  range  of 
mountains  in  that  vicinity. 

This  expedition  did  not  result  in  the  discovery  of 
any  large  quantities  of  gold  and  after  the  foundation 
of  the  Fortress  of  St.  Thomas  had  been  laid  and  the 
structure  was  well  along,  Columbus  decided  to  return 
to  Isabella  and  continue  his  voyage  of  discovery. 

Hernando  had  partially  recovered  from  the  dis 
appointment  he  experienced  on  landing  at  Nativity, 
and  he  set  out  with  a  new  determination  on  this  expe 
dition,  his  father  accompanying  him  and  sharing  with 
his  son  the  enthusiasm  which  the  prospects  of  imme 
diate  wealth  inspired. 

"I  bought  these  two  pieces  of  virgin  ore  from  an 
old  man  today,"  was  Roderigo's  report,  at  the  close 
of  a  day  which  had  been  unfruitful  for  the  son.  "He 
thought  himself  richly  repaid  with  a  hawk-bell  which 
I  gave  him  in  exchange;  and  when  I  spoke  of  the  size 
of  the  specimens,  he  indicated  by  signs  that  they 
were  insignificant  as  compared  with  the  pieces  of  gold 
found  in  his  country." 

"They  are  the  finest  nuggets  I  have  seen,"  replied 
Hernando,  as  he  examined  them  closely. 

"What  do  you  say  that  we  accompany  him  to 
morrow?" 

"It's  no  use.  The  land  of  promise  is  always  beyond 
the  mountains,"  replied  Hernando  despondently.  "I 
have  been  searching  for  two  whole  days  in  remote 
valleys  and  along  rugged  streams,  where  I  was  told  I 


FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CITY  OF  NEW  WORLD     343 

would  find  masses  of  ore  as  large  as  a  child's  head.  It 
is  useless  to  seek  further  here,  and  with  the  admiral's 
permission  I  shall  return  with  him  to  Isabella  and  go 
with  him  on  this  voyage  of  discovery,  in  the  hope  of 
finding  the  object  of  all  our  expeditions,  the  land  of 
the  Grand  Khan." 

"My  son,  you  must  not  be  disheartened.  Great 
riches  are  not  acquired  in  a  day  or  in  a  week." 

"But  Christina—" 

"Did  you  not  send  her  a  message  by  Antonio  de 
Torres?" 

"Yes,  but  I  did  not  wish  to  distress  her  with  my 
disappointments.  I  did  not  tell  her  of  the  ruins  we 
found  at  Nativity,  and  she  will  not  know  but  that  I 
have  already  accumulated  great  riches." 

"Who  knows,  perhaps  tomorrow  will  bring  your 
fortune?" 

"No,  I  shall  leave  with  the  admiral  tomorrow,  to 
continue  the  search  by  sea." 

"Then  what  say  you,  Hernando,  that  I  remain 
here?  Perhaps  Providence  will  reward  both  of  us 
for  our  labors.  At  any  rate  we  shall  double  our 
chances  of  success  by  separating." 

To  this  they  agreed.  It  was  not  necessary  for 
Hernando  to  seek  permission  to  accompany  the 
admiral,  for  Columbus  had  already  arranged  for  his 
going,  and  they  reached  Isabella  together  on  the  29th 
of  March. 

Columbus  was  highly  pleased  with  the  appearance 
of  everything  in  the  vicinity  of  the  harbor.  The 


344  COLUMBIA 

plants  and  fruits  of  the  Old  World,  which  he  was 
endeavoring  to  introduce  into  the  islands,  gave  prom 
ise  of  rapid  increase.  Everything  was  in  an  advanced 
state.  The  seeds  of  various  fruits  had  produced 
young  plants;  the  sugar-cane  had  prospered  exceed 
ingly;  European  vines,  which  had  been  transplanted, 
already  began  to  form  their  clusters,  and  the  day  after 
their  arrival  at  Isabella  Hernando  found  heads  of 
wheat  which  had  been  sown  the  latter  part  of  January. 
Many  of  the  smaller  kinds  of  garden  herbs  came  to 
maturity  in  sixteen  days,  and  the  larger  kinds,  such  as 
melons  and  cucumbers,  were  ready  for  the  table  within 
a  month  after  the  seed  had  been  put  into  the  ground. 

One  of  the  benefits  resulting  from  their  expedition 
into  the  interior  was  a  better  knowledge  of  the  natives. 
Columbus  had  already  discovered  the  error  of  one  of  his 
opinions  concerning  these  islanders,  formed  during  his 
first  voyage.  They  were  not  so  entirely  pacific  nor  so 
ignorant  of  the  warlike  arts  as  he  had  imagined.  He 
had  been  deceived  by  the  enthusiasm  of  his  own  feelings 
and  by  the  gentleness  of  Guacanagari  and  his  subjects. 

Columbus  had  also  indulged  in  the  error  that  the 
natives  of  Hayti  were  destitute  of  all  notions  of  reli 
gion,  but  it  was  soon  discovered  that  they  had  their 
faith,  though  of  a  vague  and  simple  nature.  They 
believed  in  a  supreme  being,  inhabiting  the  sky,  who 
was  immortal,  omnipotent,  and  invisible;  to  whom 
they  ascribed,  as  origin,  a  mother,  but  no  father. 
Their  ideas  with  respect  to  the  creation  were  vague 
and  undefined.  They  gave  their  own  island  of  Hayti 


priority  of  ex- 
istence  over 
all  others,  and 
believed  that 
the  sun  and 
the  moon  orig 
inally  issued 
out  of  a  cavern 
in  the  island 
to  give  light  to 
the  world.  They  be 
lieved  mankind  issued 
from  another  cavern, 
the  large  men  from  a 
great  aperture, 
the  smaller  men 
from  a  little 
cranny .  For 
along  time,  there 
were  no  women, 
but  as  they  wan 
dered  on  one  occasion  near 
a  small  lake,  they  saw  cer 
tain  animals  among  the 
branches  of  the  trees,  which 
proved  to  be  women.  Four 
of  these  females  were  cap 
tured  and  from  them  the 
world  was  peopled. 


VEGETATION  OF  THK   NEW  WORLD. 


346  COLUMBIA 

Like  most  savage  nations,  they  had  a  tradition 
concerning  the  universal  deluge,  equally  fanciful  with 
most  of  the  preceding.  Most  singular  of  all  was  their 
mode  of  treating  the  dying  and  the  dead.  When  the 
life  of  a  cacique  was  despaired  of,  they  strangled  him, 
out  of  a  feeling  of  respect,  rather  than  suffer  him  to 
die  like  the  vulgar.  After  death,  the  body  of  a 
cacique  was  opened,  dried  at  a  fire,  and  preserved. 
Of  others,  the  head  only,  or  a  limb,  was  treasured  as 
a  memorial. 

Their  idea  of  a  future  life  was  a  place  of  reward, 
to  which  all  spirits  of  good  men  repaired  after  death. 
Here  they  were  reunited  to  the  spirits  of  those  they 
had  most  loved  during  life;  here  they  enjoyed,  unin 
terruptedly  and  in  perfection,  those  pleasures  which 
constituted  their  felicities  on  earth. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  characteristics  remaining 
on  record  of  these  simple  people,  who  perished  from 
the  face  of  the  earth  before  their  customs  and  creeds 
were  thought  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  investi 
gated.  Many  of  these  particulars  were  collected  by 
Columbus  during  the  excursion  among  the  mountains. 
The  natives  appeared  to  him  an  idle,  improvident 
race,  indifferent  to  most  of  the  objects  of  human 
anxiety  and  toil. 

The  hospitality  which  characterizes  men  in  such  a 
simple  and  easy  mode  of  existence  was  extended  to 
Columbus  and  his  followers,  and  wherever  they  went 
there  was  a  continual  scene  of  festivity  and  rejoicing. 
The  natives  came  from  all  parts  of  the  island,  bring- 


FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CITY  OF  NEW  WORLD     347 

ing  presents  and  laying  the  simple  treasures  they 
possessed  at  the  feet  of  the  beings  whom  they  still 
considered  as  descended  from  the  skies  to  bring 
blessings  to  their  island. 

As,  in  imagination,  we  accompany  the  little  army 
through  the  lofty  and  rugged  gorge  of  the  mountains 
on  their  way  back  to  Isabella,  we  cannot  but  pause 
to  cast  back  over  this  beautiful  region  a  look  of 
mingled  pity  and  admiration.  The  dream  of  natural 
liberty,  of  ignorant  content,  and  loitering  idleness 
was  as  yet  unbroken,  but  the  white  man  had  pene 
trated  the  land  and  the  indolent  paradise  of  the 
Indian  was  about  to  disappear  forever. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A    LOST    BROTHER   RETURNS. 

THE  increasing  discontent  of  the  motley  popula 
tion  of  Isabella  was  a  source  of  great  anxiety  to 
Columbus.  He  could  not  proceed  on  his  voyage  of 
discovery  with  affairs  in  their  present  condition,  and 
it  was  imperative,  before  leaving,  to  put  the  island 
In  such  a  state  as  to  secure  tranquillity.  Columbus, 
therefore,  determined  to  send  into  the  interior  every 
able-bodied  man  whose  presence  was  not  absolutely 
needed  in  the  city.  By  this  means,  not  only  would 
they  explore  the  land,  but  they  would  become  accli 
mated  and  accustomed  to  the  diet  of  the  natives. 
The  general  command  was  entrusted  to  Pedro  Mar- 
garite,  who  was  relieved  of  the  command  of  St. 
Thomas  by  Alonzo  de  Ojeda.  With  this  distribution 
of  the  forces  and  the  affairs  of  Isabella  under  the 
direction  of  his  brother  Don  Diego  as  president  of 
the  junta,  Columbus  felt  prepared  to  depart  on  his 
discoveries. 

This  expedition  of  Columbus  is  of  minor  impor 
tance  today,  and  we  will  not  attempt,  therefore,  to 
follow  him  step  by  step  in  his  bold  but  cautious 
advances  along  the  bays  and  channels  of  an  unknown 
coast,  ignorant  of  the  dangers  which  might  await 
348 


A  LOST  BROTHER  RETURNS  349 

him  in  the  interminable  regions  of  mystery  that 
still  kept  breaking  upon  his  view. 

The  plan  of  this  expedition  was  to  revisit  the 
coast  of  Cuba  at  the  point  where  he  had  quitted 
it  on  his  first  voyage,  thence  to  explore  it  on  its 
southern  side.  As  has  already  been  observed, 
Columbus  supposed  Cuba  to  be  a  continent,  the 
extreme  end  of  Asia;  and  if  so,  he  believed  that  by 
following  its  shores  in  the  proposed  direction,  he 
must  eventually  arrive  at  Cathay  and  those  other 
rich  and  commercial  though  semi-barbarous  coun 
tries  described  by  Mandeville  and  Marco  Polo. 

On  the  24th  of  April  the  little  squadron  set  sail 
from  the  harbor  of  Isabella.  After  touching  at 
Monte  Christi,  he  anchored  the  same  day  at  Nativ 
ity,  in  the  hope  of  reviving  friendly  relations  with 
Guacanagari,  which  would  be  highly  advantageous 
to  the  Spaniards  in  their  present  state  of  helpless 
ness. 

Hernando  was  one  of  the  party  sent  to  invite  the 
cacique  to  visit  Columbus,  but  his  report,  on  returning 
to  the  ship,  was  not  reassuring: 

"My  lord  admiral,  Guacanagari  fled  at  sight  of 
our  ship  and  cannot  be  seen." 

"Did  he  send  no  word?  "  asked  Columbus  eagerly, 
for  he  was  anxious  to  renew  friendly  relations  with 
the  cacique  before  leaving  on  this  voyage,  which 
would  probably  mean  an  absence  of  several  months. 

"He  merely  sent  word  that  he  would  visit  you 
soon." 


350  COLUMBIA 

"Then  we  shall  not  wait  for  a  visit  so  reluctantly 
promised,"  the  admiral  replied. 

No  time  was  lost  in  making  their  departure,  and 
a  few  days  later  Columbus  landed  on  the  island  of 
Jamaica,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Santiago, 
and  took  possession  of  it;  but  it  has  retained  its 
original  Indian  name  of  Jamaica.  This  discovery 
proved  to  be  the  most  important  event  of  the  voyage. 
Columbus'  disappointment  at  not  finding  gold  in  Ja 
maica  was  followed  by  a  determination  to  sail  for  Cuba 
and  not  to  leave  it  until  he  had  explored  the  coast  a 
sufficient  distance  to  determine  whether  it  was  terra 
firma  or  an  island.  Animated  by  one  of  the  pleasing 
illusions  of  his  ardent  imagination,  Columbus  pur 
sued  his  voyage,  favored  by  a  strong  breeze,  along 
the  supposed  continent  of  Asia.  The  appearance 
of  the  squadron  spread  wonder  and  joy  among  the 
natives  along  the  seacoast.  Columbus'  fame  had 
spread  far  and  wide  since  his  first  voyage,  and  the 
natives  hailed  with  delight  the  arrival  of  these  wonder 
ful  beings  who  brought  with  them  the  blessings  of 
heaven.  The  usual  refreshing  evening  showers 
were  followed  by  a  delightful  breeze  from  the  shore, 
laden  with  the  sweetness  of  the  land  and  the  distant 
songs  of  the  natives  mingled  with  their  rude  music, 
made  in  celebration  of  the  arrival  of  the  white  men. 
So  delightful  to  Columbus  were  these  spicy  odors 
and  cheerful  sounds  that  he  exclaimed  to  Hernando, 
"The  nights  pass  away  as  a  single  hour  !  " 

It  is  impossible  not  to  note  the  striking  contrasts 


352  COLUMBIA 

which  are  sometimes  presented  by  the  lapse  of  time. 
This  section  of  the  island,  described  by  Columbus 
as  "populous  and  animated  and  inhabited  even  along 
the  margin  of  the  coast,"  is  now  silent  and  almost 
deserted.  Only  a  few  villages  are  to  be  found 
between  Batabano  and  Trinidad,  a  distance  of  fifty 
leagues.  Civilization,  which  has  covered  some  parts 
of  Cuba  with  prosperous  cities,  has  left  this  a  solitude. 
The  whole  race  of  Indians  has  long  since  passed 
away,  perishing  under  the  domination  of  the  strangers 
whom  they  welcomed  with  adoration. 

The  glowing  hopes  of  Columbus  were  always 
leading  him  on  to  new  enterprises.  Combining  his 
present  conjectures  as  to  his  situation  with  the  im 
perfect  geographical  knowledge  of  that  day,  he 
conceived  a  triumphant  return  to  Spain  by  way  of 
the  Mediterranean  after  circumnavigating  the  globe. 
That  they  were  now  coasting  the  continent  of  Asia 
and  approaching  the  confines  of  Eastern  civilization 
was  an  opinion  shared  by  all  his  fellow-voyagers, 
among  whom  were  several  able  and  experienced 
navigators.  They  were  far,  however,  from  sharing 
his  enthusiasm. 

Hernando  constantly  enjoyed  the  confidence 
of  the  admiral;  in  fact,  he  was  about  the  only  member 
of  the  crew  to  whom  Columbus  could  turn  to  express 
his  secret  thoughts,  and  he  joined  enthusiastically 
in  all  the  plans  which  the  ardent  imagination  of  the 
admiral  conceived.  He  was  steadfast  and  unwaver 
ing  in  his  loyalty  to  the  master  whom  he  loved  and 


A  LOST  BROTHER  RETURNS 


353 


could  not  be  moved  by  the  arguments  or  protesta 
tions  of  the  others. 

"What  glory  are  we  to  receive  from  the  success 
of  the  enterprise?  "  asked  one  who  shrank  from  the 
perils  which  were  daily  increasing.  "The  ships  are 
strained  by  injuries  received  in  running  so  frequently 
aground,  the  cables  and  rigging  are  worn,  and  our 
provisions  are  almost  exhausted.  Most  of  the  biscuit 
left  has  been  spoiled  by  the  sea  water.  The  crew 
is  completely  worn  out  by  incessant  labor  and  dis- 


WILDERNESS  OF  ISLANDS. 

heartened  at  the  appearance  of  the  sea,  which  con 
tinues  to  present  but  a  mere  wilderness  of  islands." 

"Your  arguments  are  useless,"  was  Hernando's 
response.  "The  admiral  has  determined  to  con 
tinue  the  voyage  until  he  has  settled  beyond  all 
doubt  that  we  have  discovered  a  continent." 

"We  have  already  followed  the  coast  far  enongh 
to  satisfy  our  minds  that  this  is  a  continent,  and 
though  we  doubt  not  that  civilized  regions  lie  in 
the  route  we  are  pursuing,  our  provisions  will  be 
exhausted  and  our  vessels  disabled  before  we  can 
reach  them." 

Vol.  1—23 


354  COLUMBIA 

Columbus  himself  was  aware  of  the  inadequacy 
of  his  vessels,  and,  after  persevering  four  days  longer 
against  the  protests  of  his  crew,  he  consented  to  turn 
back. 

This  decision,  however,  was  first  stated  privately 
to  Hernando.  "I  have  other  orders  to  issue,"  said 
the  admiral,  "before  this  is  proclaimed.  We 
have  had  recent  proof  of  a  disposition  to  depreciate 
our  discoveries  and  this  one  must  not  rest  merely 
on  my  own  assertions.  Send  round  the  public  notary, 
Fernando  Perez  de  Luna,  to  each  of  the  vessels,  accom 
panied  by  four  witnesses,  including  yourself,  and 
demand  formally  of  every  person  on  board,  from 
captain  to  ship-boy,  whether  he  has  any  doubt 
that  the  land  before  him  is  a  continent,  the  begin 
ning  and  end  of  the  Indies,  by  which  any  one  might 
return  overland  to  Spain  and  by  pursuing  the  coast 
of  which  he  would  soon  arrive  among  civilized  people. 
If  any  one  entertains  a  doubt,  let  him  express  it 
now  before  we  turn  back." 

All  declared,  under  oath,  that  they  had  no  doubt 
as  to  the  truth  of  this;  and  a  formal  statement, 
which  was  drawn  by  the  notary  and  signed  with  the 
name  of  every  member  of  the  crew,  is  still  in  existence. 
It  was  then  proclaimed  by  the  notary  that  if  any  one 
should  subsequently,  out  of  malice  or  caprice,  con 
tradict  the  opinions  thus  solemnly  avowed,  he  should, 
if  an  officer,  pay  a  penalty  of  ten  thousand  maravedis; 
if  a  ship-boy  or  person  of  like  rank,  he  should  receive 
a  hundred  lashes  and  have  his  tongue  cut  out. 


A  LOST  BROTHER  RETURNS  355 

All  further  exploration  of  the  coast  was  abandoned 
and  on  the  13th  of  June  he  stood  to  the  southeast. 
They  had  not  sailed  many  days  when  they  came  in 
sight  of  a  large  island  with  mountains  rising  majes 
tically  above  this  labyrinth  of  little  keys.  To  this 
Columbus  gave  the  name  of  Evangelist.  The  island 
later  became  a  notorious  resort  for  pirates.  It  is  at 
present  known  as  the  Isle  of  Pines. 

The  squadron  anchored  in  a  number  of  harbors 
before  they  finally  reached  Hispaniola.  In  all  im 
portant  places  which  they  visited,  crosses  were 
erected,  to  denote  not  only  the  discovery  of  the 
country  but  its  subjugation  to  the  true  faith. 

On  one  occasion  when  Columbus  disembarked 
for  this  purpose,  he  was  met  upon  the  shore  by  the 
cacique,  accompanied  by  a  venerable  Indian  of 
grave  and  dignified  deportment.  The  old  man 
brought  a  string  of  beads,  to  which  a  mystic  value 
was  ascribed,  and  a  calabash  of  a  delicate  fruit. 
These  he  presented  to  the  admiral  in  token  of  amity. 
They  then  took  Columbus  by  the  hand  and  led  him 
to  the  grove,  where  preparations  had  been  made  for 
the  celebration  of  mass.  While  the  Spaniards 
worshipped  in  this  natural  temple  the  Indians  looked 
on  with  awe  and  reverence.  From  the  tones  and 
gesticulations  of  the  priest,  the  lighted  tapers,  and 
the  smoking  incense,  the  natives  perceived  that  they 
were  witnessing  a  ceremony  of  a  sacred  and  mysterious 
nature.  When  the  service  was  ended,  the  old  man, 
who  had  looked  on  with  profound  attention,  ap- 


356  COLUMBIA 

preached  Columbus  and  made  an  oration  in  the 
Indian  manner,  which  was  translated  by  the  Lucayan 
interpreter,  Diego  Colon. 

"This  which  thou  hast  done/'  said  the  Indian, 
"is  well,  for  it  appears  to  be  thy  manner  of  giving 
thanks  to  God.  I  am  told  that  thou  hast  lately 
come  to  these  lands  with  a  mighty  force  and  subdued 
many  countries,  spreading  great  fear  among  the 
people;  but  be  not,  therefore,  vainglorious.  Know 
that  according  to  our  belief,  the  souls  of  men  have 
two  journeys  to  perform  after  they  have  departed 
from  the  body;  one  to  a  place,  dismal  and  foul  and 
covered  with  darkness,  prepared  for  those  who  have 
been  unjust  and  cruel  to  their  fellow-men;  the  other, 
pleasant  and  full  of  delight  for  such  as  have  pro 
moted  peace  on  earth.  If,  then,  thou  art  mortal 
and  dost  expect  to  die  and  dost  believe  that  each  one 
shall  be  rewarded  according  to  his  deeds,  beware 
that  thou  wrongfully  hurt  no  man,  nor  do  harm  to 
those  who  have  done  no  harm  to  thee." 

The  admiral  was  greatly  moved  by  the  simple 
eloquence  of  this  untutored  savage,  and  assured  him 
that  he  had  been  sent  by  his  sovereigns  to  teach  them 
the  true  faith. 

After  an  absence  of  more  than  five  months,  during 
which  the  expedition  had  struggled  with  perpetual 
difficulties  and  dangers  and  had  suffered  almost  con 
stantly  from  a  scarcity  of  provisions,  the  crew  returned 
to  Isabella  exceedingly  enfeebled  and  emaciated  by 
the  toils  and  privations  of  the  expedition.  The 


358  COLUMBIA 

extraordinary  fatigue  both  of  mind  and  body  during 
an  anxious  and  harassing  voyage  had  proved  too 
great  a  strain  on  the  physical  endurance  of  the  man 
who  was"  always  in  command.  Columbus  had  shared 
in  all  the  hardships  of  the  commonest  seaman.  He 
existed  on  the  same  scanty  allowance  of  food  and 
exposed  himself  to  the  same  buffetings  of  wind 
and  weather;  but  he  had  other  cares  from  which  his 
crew  were  exempt.  While  the  sailor,  worn  out  by 
the  labors  of  his  watch,  slept  soundly  through  the 
raging  storms,  the  anxious  commander  was  on  duty 
long  sleepless  nights.  The  safety  of  his  ships  de 
pended  on  his  watchfulness;  but  above  all,  he  felt 
that  the  eyes  of  a  jealous  nation  and  an  expectant 
world  were  anxiously  watching  for  the  result  of  his  en 
terprises.  During  the  greater  part  of  the  voyage,  he 
had  been  excited  by  the  constant  hope  of  arriving 
at  India  and  returning  triumphant  to  Spain  after 
circumnavigating  the  globe.  When  these  expecta 
tions  failed  him,  the  conflict  with  incessant  hardships 
and  perils  stimulated  him  on  the  return  voyage. 
But  when  at  last  he  found  himself  in  a  known  and 
tranquil  sea  and  relieved  from  all  anxiety,  the  sup 
port  of  excitement  was  withdrawn  and  mind  and 
body  sank  helplessly  under  a  load  of  almost  super 
human  exertions.  Columbus  was  stricken  suddenly 
with  a  malady  which  deprived  him  of  all  his  faculties 
and  he  fell  into  a  deep,  death-like  lethargy.  He 
was  borne  back  to  Isabella  in  a  state  of  complete 
insensibility.  When  at  last  he  regained  his  faculties, 


A  LOST  BROTHER  RETURNS  359 

a  joyful  surprise  awaited  him.  At  his  bedside 
were  Hernando  and  Don  Diego,  and  another  —  the 
companion  of  his  youth,  his  confidential  coadjutor, 
his  brother  Bartholomew,  from  whom  he  had  been 
separated  for  years. 

Hernando  already  knew  to  what  extent  the 
admiral  had  included  his  brother  Bartholomew  in 
his  plans,  and  had  heard  him  express  many  an  anx 
ious  thought  concerning  the  fate  of  his  brother  who 
had  been  sent  to  England  to  make  application  to  the 
court  of  King  Henry  VII  at  about  the  time  Colum 
bus  took  his  departure  from  Portugal,  but  from 
whom  no  word  had  ever  been  received. 

"I  was  several  years  reaching  the  court  of  Eng 
land,"  was  the  story  told  to  Hernando  by  Bartholo 
mew  himself.  "On  the  voyage  I  was  captured  and 
robbed  by  a  corsair  and  reduced  to  such  poverty 
that  for  a  long  time  I  had  to  struggle  for  a  mere 
existence." 

"And  did  you  eventually  lay  the  admiral's  plans 
before  the  English  monarch?"  Hernando  inquired 
eagerly. 

"Yes,  and  the  proposition  met  with  more  ready 
attention  than  from  any  other  sovereign.  We  en 
tered  into  an  agreement  for  the  prosecution  of  the 
enterprise  and  I  departed  at  once  for  Spain  in  search 
of  my  brother.  On  reaching  Paris,  I  received  the 
joyful  intelligence  that  the  discovery  had  already 
been  made,  that  he  had  returned  in  triumph  to  Spain 
and  was  then  actually  at  the  Spanish  court,  honored 


360  COLUMBIA 

by  the  sovereigns,  caressed  by  the  nobility,  and 
idolized  by  the  people;  and  I  myself  a  person  of 
sufficient  importance  to  be  noticed  by  the  French 
monarch  Charles  VIII,  who,  understanding  that  I 
was  low  in  purse,  furnished  me  with  a  hundred 
crowns  to  defray  the  expenses  of  my  journey  to  Spain. 
I  reached  Seville  just  as  the  admiral  had  sailed 
on  his  second  voyage.  I  immediately  repaired  to 
the  court,  then  at  Valladolid,  and  was  received 
with  distinguished  favor  by  their  majesties,  the 
king  and  queen.  They  gave  me  command  of  a 
small  expedition,  freighted  with  supplies  for  the 
colony;  but  again  I  arrived  too  late,  reaching  Isa 
bella  just  after  the  departure  of  the  squadron  for 
the  coast  of  Cuba." 

"Then  even  had  Spain  failed  us,  all  would  not 
have  been  lost?  "  asked  Hernando,  who  was  thinking 
that  but  for  the  intercession  of  Luis  de  St.  Angel 
Columbus  would  have  been  allowed  to  leave  Spain 
forever. 

"No.  Had  the  good  queen  not  recalled  the 
admiral,  he  would  undoubtedly  have  sailed  on  the 
voyage  of  discovery  from  an  English  port,  instead 
of  from  Palos,"  replied  Don  Bartholomew. 

"And  the  honor  of  discovering  the  new  world 
would  have  belonged  to  England?" 

"Yes.  Their  procrastination  came  near  costing 
the  Spanish  monarchs  the  greatest  glory  of  their 
reign.  It  shows  how  important  a  link  in  the  chain 
of  destiny  the  slightest  incident  may  become." 


A  LOST  BROTHER  RETURNS  361 

''That  is  the  voice  of  the  admiral  now,"  said  Her- 
nando,  as  he  hastened  to  his  bedside. 

In  the  outer  room  Don  Bartholomew  waited 
impatiently  to  be  admitted  to  the  presence  of  his 
illustrious  brother.  Presently  Hernando  returned 
and  announced  that  the  admiral  had  regained  con 
sciousness. 

"He  has  been  overwhelmed  with  cares  and  has 
been  almost  constantly  surrounded  by-  strangers. 
It  will  be  an  inexpressible  relief  to  him  to  see  you 
and  know  that  you  are  here  to  share  his  responsibili 
ties." 

The  meeting  between  the  admiral  and  Don  Barthol 
omew,  after  so  many  years  of  separation,  can  be 
better  imagined  than  described.  Since  their  separa 
tion  in  Portugal,  Christopher  Columbus  had  won  for 
the  family  name  a  glory  that  already  had  shed  its 
rays  into  every  civilized  country  in  the  world. 

The  portrait  of  Don  Bartholomew  has  suffered 
by  having  remained  too  much  in  the  shade  of  his 
illustrious  brother.  It  is  worthy  of  being  brought 
into  the  light  as  a  companion  to  that  of  the  discoverer. 
Less  amiable  and  engaging,  perhaps,  in  its  lineaments, 
and  less  characterized  by  magnanimity,  its  traits 
are  nevertheless  bold,  generous,  and  heroic,  and 
stamped  with  iron  firmness.  Las  Casas,  who  knew 
him  personally,  tells  us  that  he  was  prompt,  active, 
decided,  and  of  a  fearless  spirit;  anything  which  he 
attempted  to  do  was  carried  into  instant  execution, 
without  consideration  of  the  difficulties  or  dangers 


362  COLUMBIA 

to  be  encountered.  His  person  corresponded  to  his 
mind;  he  was  tall,  muscular,  vigorous,  and  command 
ing.  He  had  an  air  of  great  authority,  but  some 
what  stern,  lacking  the  sweet-tempered,  authoritative 
demeanor  of  the  admiral.  He  was  equally  vigorous 
and  painstaking  in  intellect,  but  less  enthusiastic 
in  spirit  and  soaring  in  imagination.  He  was  more 
the  practical  business  man  and  possessed  greater 
worldly  wisdom,  which  is  so  important  in  the  ordinary 
concerns  of  life. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO. 

DURING  Columbus'  absence,  things  had  not  gone 
at  all  well.  Instead  of  carrying  out  the  military  tour 
commanded  by  the  admiral,  Margarite  had  lingered 
among  the  populous  and  hospitable  Indian  villages, 
and  the  Spaniards  had  outraged  the  dearest  feelings 
of  the  natives  by  their  licentious  conduct.  Notwith 
standing  the  protests  of  Don  Diego,  Margarite  per 
sisted  in  a  course  of  outrages  and  oppression,  fatal  to 
the  tranquillity  of  the  island.  He  took  no  notice  of 
Don  Diego,  but  acted  as  if  he  were  supreme  in  com 
mand.  Supported  by  an  aristocratic  faction  in  the 
colony,  who  affected  to  consider  Columbus  and  his 
family  as  mercenary  and  upstart  foreigners,  Mar 
garite  took  possession  of  the  ships  which  brought  out 
Don  Bartholomew  and  returned  to  Spain  to  report 
the  disastrous  state  of  the  colony. 

The  whole  island  had  become  a  scene  of  discord 
and  violence  through  the  flagrant  violation  of  the 
rules  Columbus  had  prescribed  for  the  peace  of  the 
inhabitants.  It  was  no  small  task  to  restore  order, 
and  in  his  anxiety  to  relieve  himself  of  a  part  of  his 
responsibilities,  which  weighed  heavily  upon  him 
during  his  illness,  Columbus  immediately  appointed 
363 


364  COLUMBIA 

Don  Bartholomew  adelantado,  an  office  corresponding 
to  that  of  lieutenant-governor.  This  appointment 
was  not  made  because  of  any  desire  to  aggrandize  his 
family,  but  it  was  looked  upon  as  such  by  the  colony, 
especially  by  those  who  came  in  conflict  with  his 
authority.  The  king  himself  considered  it  an  undue 
assumption  of  power;  but  Columbus  realized  the 
necessity  of  his  brother's  assistance  in  the  present 
critical  state  of  the  colony  and  felt  that  this  co-opera 
tion  would  be  ineffectual  unless  it  bore  the  stamp  of 
high  official  authority. 

The  confidential  relations  which  existed  between 
the  admiral  and  Hernando  gave  the  latter  free  access 
at  all  times  to  the  secret  councils  of  the  admiral. 
Returning  from  a  scouting  expedition,  Hernando 
rushed  into  the  presence  of  the  junta  and  announced 
that  the  allied  caciques  were  already  assembled  in 
great  force  in  the  vega. 

"They  are  only  two  days'  march  from  Isabella," 
said  he,  "and  are  planning  a  general  assault  upon  the 
settlement  in  overwhelming  numbers." 

"We  had  better  carry  the  war  into  the  territories 
of  the  enemy,  rather  than  suffer  it  to  be  brought  to 
our  own  door,"  advised  Don  Bartholomew,  who  was 
of  a  decidedly  military  turn  of  mind. 

"We  will  take  the  field  at  once,"  declared  Colum 
bus;  and  a  few  days  later  he  was  leading  an  army  of 
two  hundred  infantry  and  twenty  horse,  armed  with 
cross-bows,  swords,  lances,  and  heavy  arquebuses, 
through  the  mountain  pass  of  the  cavaliers,  whence 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO         365 

he  had  first  looked  down  upon  the  beautiful  regions 
of  the  vega. 

With  what  different  feelings  did  he  now  contem 
plate  it!  The  vile  passions  of  the  white  man  had 
already  converted  this  smiling,  beautiful,  and  once 
peaceful  region  into  a  land  of  wrath  and  hostility. 
On  his  previous  expedition  the  natives  came  from 
far  and  near  to  welcome  the  Spaniards  with  adora 
tion.  The  same  rich  forest  below  him  now  swarmed 
with  lurking  warriors. 

"I  had  hoped  to  rule  over  this  inoffensive  people 
as  a  patron  and  benefactor,"  said  Columbus  in  com 
passionate  tone;  and  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  he 
added  pathetically,  "but  now  I  find  myself  compelled 
to  assume  the  odious  character  of  a  conqueror." 

The  Spaniards  had  an  easy  victory,  which  Col 
umbus  followed  by  a  military  tour  through  the  island 
and  reduced  the  natives  to  obedience.  Having  been 
forced  by  the  confederacy  of  the  caciques  to  take  the 
field,  the  admiral  now  asserted  the  rights  of  a  con 
queror  and  imposed  a  heavy  tribute  on  the  subjugated 
provinces.  Each  subject  above  the  age  of  fourteen 
years  was  required  to  pay  tribute.  In  the  mining 
regions  this  was  payable  in  gold  dust;  while  in  those 
districts  which  were  remote  from  the  mines  each 
individual  was  compelled  to  furnish  twenty-five 
pounds  of  cotton  every  three  months,  and  on  paying 
his  tribute  received  a  copper  medal  as  a  certificate 
of  payment,  which  he  was  to  wear  about  his  neck. 

The  taxes  and  tributes  thus  imposed  bore  heavily 


366  COLUMBIA 

upon  the  spirit  of  the  natives.  Unused  to  labor  of 
any  kind  and  accustomed  to  the  untasked  idleness  of 
their  soft  climate  and  fruitful  groves,  death  itself 
seemed  preferable  to  a  life  of  toil.  They  were  obliged 
to  grope  day  by  day,  with  bending  body  and  anxious 
eye,  along  the  borders  of  their  rivers,  sifting  the  sands 
for  the  grains  of  gold  which  were  constantly  growing 
more  scarce;  or  to  labor  in  their  fields,  beneath  the 
fervor  of  a  tropical  sun,  for  their  taskmasters.  They 
sank  to  sleep  at  night,  weary  and  exhausted,  and 
seldom  spoke  except  of  the  times  that  were  past, 
before  the  white  man  introduced  sorrow  and  slavery 
among  them.  All  spirit  of  opposition  was  at  length 
quelled,  but  in  this  way  many  thousands  of  the  na 
tives  perished  miserably.  Those  who  survived  sub 
mitted  humbly  to  the  yoke.  So  deep  an  awe  did  they 
feel  for  their  -conquerors  that  it  is  said  a  Spaniard 
might  safely  go  alone  all  over  the  island  and  the 
natives  would  carry  him  from  place  to  place  on  their 
shoulders. 

While  Columbus  was  pacifying  the  island  Mar- 
garite  was  busily  engaged  undermining  his  reputation 
at  the  court  of  Castile.  He  accused  the  admiral  of 
deception  and  charged  him  with  laying  excessive 
tasks  upon  the  community  during  a  time  of  general 
sickness;  with  wantonly  inflicting  severe  punish 
ments  on  the  common  people;  and  with  heaping 
indignities  on  Spanish  gentlemen.  Nothing  was  said, 
however,  of  the  exigencies  which  demanded  unusual 
labor;  nor  of  the  profligacy  which  required  chastise- 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO         367 

ment;  nor  of  the  seditious  cabals  of  the  Spanish  cav 
aliers,  who  had  been  treated  with  indulgence  rather 
than  severity.  The  popularity  of  Columbus  received 
a  vital  blow  and  immediately  began  to  decline.  The 
confidence  of  the  sovereigns  was  impaired  and  it  was 
determined  to  send  some  person  of  rank,  who  could 
be  trusted  to  take  upon  himself  the  government  of 
the  island  in  case  of  the  continued  absence  of  the 
admiral.  Later,  however,  Juan  Aguado  was  chosen 
as  a  mark  of  consideration  for  Columbus,  who  had 
highly  recommended  him  to  royal  favor. 

Notwithstanding  his  obligation  to  Columbus, 
Aguado  allowed  his  head  to  be  turned  by  a  little  tem 
porary  power,  and  lost  sight  of  the  respect  and  grati 
tude  due  his  benefactor.  He  arrived  at  Isabella  in 
October,  1495,  while  the  admiral  was  still  absent  on 
his  expedition  into  the  interior  to  re-establish  tran 
quillity.  He  found  Don  Bartholomew  in  command, 
but,  assuming  a  tone  of  authority  as  though  the  reins 
of  government  had  been  transferred  into  his  hands, 
he  interfered  with  public  affairs  and  paid  no  respect 
to  the  adelantado.  Without  awaiting  the  return  of 
Columbus,  Aguado  caused  his  letter  of  credence  from 
the  sovereigns  to  be  proclaimed  pompously  by  sound 
of  trumpet: 

"Cavaliers,  Esquires,  and  other  persons,  who  by 
our  orders  are  in  the  Indies,  we  send  you  Juan  Aguado, 
our  groom  of  the  bedchambers,  who  will  speak  to  you 
on  our  part.  We  command  you  to  give  him  faith 
and  credit." 


368  COLUMBIA 

Nor  was  this  all.  The  rumor  was  circulated  that 
the  downfall  of  Columbus  and  his  family  was  at  hand 
and  that  the  auditor  had  arrived,  empowered  to  hear 
and  redress  all  grievances  of  the  public.  It  was  a 
time  of  jubilee  for  offenders.  Every  culprit  became 
an  accuser. 

This  intelligence  reached  Columbus  in  the  interior 
of  the  island  and  he  immediately  hastened  to  Isabella, 
accompanied  by  Hernando.  A  violent  scene  was 
expected  at  the '  impending  interview.  Aguado, 
secure  in  his  royal  letter  of  credence,  looked  forward 
to  the  outcome  with  the  ignorant  audacity  of  a  little 
mind.  The  sequel  shows  how  hard  it  is  for  petty 
spirits  to  anticipate  the  conduct  of  a  man  like  Col 
umbus  in  an  extraordinary  situation.  Schooled  by 
a  lif*e  of  trials,  Columbus  had  learned  to  bring  his 
passions  into  subjection  to  his  judgment.  He  had 
too  true  an  estimate  of  his  own  dignity  to  enter  into 
a  contest  with  a  shallow  boaster  like  Aguado.  Above 
all,  he  had  too  profound  a  respect  for  his  sovereigns. 
He  received  Aguado,  therefore,  with  grave  and  punc 
tilious  courtesy,  ordering  that  the  letter  of  credence 
be  again  proclaimed  by  sound  of  trumpet  in  the 
presence  of  the  populace,  and  listened  to  it  himself 
with  solemn  deference. 

Aguado  was  not  prepared  for  this  turn  of  affairs. 
He  had  expected  that  in  the  heat  and  impatience  of 
the  moment,  Columbus  would  say  or  do  something  that 
could  be  construed  into  disrespect  for  the  authority 
of  the  sovereigns. 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO          369 

Hernando  never  failed  in  his  loyalty  to  the  ad 
miral,  but  he  was  in  such  a  state  of  agitation  over  the 
impending  downfall  of  Columbus  that  he  was  of 
little  service  to  any  one,  not  even  himself.  He  was 
disheartened  at  his  continued  failure  to  find  vast 
quantities  of  gold,  and  the  glowing  hopes  which  he 
held  out  to  Christina  before  his  departure  from  Spain 
were  fast  fading  from  his  mind.  Now,  added  to  his 
own  disappointment  was  his  great  anxiety  for  his 
loved  master;  so  it  is  little  wonder  that  his  heart 
almost  failed  him  —  but  be  it  said  to  his  credit,  he 
was  far  more  concerned  about  the  fate  of  Columbus 
than  about  himself. 

"The  admiral's  forbearance,"  said  Hernando  to 
Don  Bartholomew  in  a  confidential  interview,  "is 
regarded  by  the  colony  as  a  lack  of  moral  courage;  he 
is  looked  upon  by  everybody  as  a  declining  power — 

"And  Aguado  hailed  as  the  lord  of  the  ascendant!  " 
interrupted  Don  Bartholomew. 

"Every  culprit  in  the  colony  is  loud  in  his  clamor 
against  the  admiral,"  continued  Hernando,  "and 
Aguado  has  not  the  discrimination  to  perceive  what 
is  true  and  what  is  false  in  these  complaints.  The 
admiral  should  defend  himself  against  these  charges. 
If  he  will  not,  then  you,  Don  Bartholomew,  must 
speak  in  his  defense." 

"My  lad,"  replied  Don  Bartholomew  gently  to  the 
impulsive  statements  of  the  youth,  "it  is  useless  to 
defend  one's  self  when  the  word  of  a  lawbreaker  is  of 
more  value  than  the  oath  of  a  loyal  subject.  Every 

Vol.  1—24 


370  COLUMBIA 

culprit  is  encouraged  to  vilify  the  admiral,  under  the 
promise  of  Aguado's  friendship.  When  he  has  se 
cured  information  sufficient  in  his  judgment  to  insure 
our  ruin,  he  will  return  to  Spain.  One  of  us  must 
return  with  him  and  plead  our  cause  before  the  sov 
ereigns.  Her  majesty,  the  queen,  will  see  that 
justice  is  done." 

Their  conversation  was  interrupted  at  this  point 
by  the  admiral  himself,  who  came  to  say  that  Aguado 
had  decided  to  return  to  Spain  and  that  he  had  re 
solved  to  accompany  him. 

"There  are  active  enemies  of  standing  and  influ 
ence  at  court,  who  are  seeking  every  occasion  to  throw 
discredit  upon  us  and  our  enterprises.  I  must  return 
and  explain  the  real  causes  of  the  repeated  disappoint 
ments  in  the  profits  anticipated  from  our  discoveries." 

"Are  you  never  to  have  peace,  admiral?"  asked 
Hernando. 

"I  am  beginning  to  fear  not.  After  laboring  so 
many  years  to  convince  the  Spanish  monarchs  that 
there  was  a  new  world  to  discover,  it  seems  equally 
difficult  to  prove  the  advantage  of  the  discovery." 

Before  they  separated,  it  was  decided  that  Don 
Bartholomew  should  remain,  and  continue  the  ad 
ministration  as  adelantado  of  the  island.  Just  as  the 
ships  were  ready  to  depart  for  Spain,  a  terrific  storm 
swept  the  island  and  sank  three  of  the  vessels  with 
all  who  were  on  board.  The  others  were  driven 
about,  dashed  against  each  other,  and  tossed  —  mere 
wrecks  —  upon  the  shore.  The  only  vessel  which 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO         371 

withstood  the  storm  was  the  Nina,  and  that  in  a  very 
shattered  condition.  Columbus  gave  orders  to  have 
her  immediately  repaired  and  another  caravel  con 
structed  out  of  the  wreck  of  those  which  had  been 
destroyed. 

While  waiting  for  the  ships  to  be  made  ready  for 
sea  an  important  discovery  was  made,  which  influ 
enced  Hernando  to  remain  in  Cuba  until  Columbus 
should  return  from  Spain. 

On  his  return  from  the  voyage  made  in  search  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  Grand  Khan,  Hernando  was  over 
joyed  to  find  his  father  at  Isabella.  Their  disappoint 
ment  at  his  failure  to  find  gold  in  any  quantity  was 
swallowed  up  in  their  pleasure  at  being  together  again. 
The  years  of  separation  had  strengthened  the  bond  of 
affection  between  father  and  son,  and  Hernando 
spent  most  of  his  time,  when  not  actively  serving  the 
admiral,  in  the  company  of  his  father. 

As  they  were  strolling  alone  one  evening  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  village,  Hernando  was  accosted  by  a 
young  Aragonese,  who  showed  plainly  by  his  manner 
that  he  was  afraid  to  enter  the  streets  except  under 
the  protection  of  night. 

"I  am  Miguel  Diaz,  formerly  in  the  service  of  the 
adelantado,  but  now  an  outcast  from  among  my 
countrymen.  I  am  eager  to  return  to  civilized  life, 
but  must  first  obtain  a  pardon." 

"Have  you  suffered  innocently?"  asked  Roderigo, 
whose  own  bitter  experiences  as  an  exile  were  vividly 
recalled  by  Miguel's  statement. 


372  COLUMBIA 

"I  was  never  tried  for  any  crime.  I  have  suffered 
voluntary  exile,"  replied  Miguel.  "In  a  quarrel  with 
a  comrade  some  months  ago,  I  wounded  him  dan 
gerously,  and  fearful  of  the  consequences,  I  fled  from 
the  settlement.  Wandering  about  the  island  I  finally 
came  to  an  Indian  village  (the  present  site  of  San 
Domingo),  where  I  was  received  with  kindness  by 
the  natives.  The  village  was  governed  by  a  female 
cacique,  who  soon  conceived  a  strong  attachment  for 
me.  As  I  was  not  insensible  to  her  tenderness,  we 
were  shortly  afterwards  married  in  accordance  with 
the  rites  of  her  religion  and  we  have  lived  very  hap 
pily  together.  But  it  is  a  melancholy  lot  to  be  exiled 
thus  from  one's  countrymen,  and  she  has  constantly 
feared  that  I  would  desert  her  for  my  own  people. 
That  we  may  continue  to  live  together  in  happiness, 
she  has  sent  me  to  persuade  the  colony  to  abandon 
Isabella  and  settle  upon  the  fertile  banks  of  Ozema, 
promising  that  the  utmost  kindness  and  hospitality 
will  be  extended  by  her  subjects.  She  herself  has 
informed  me  of  certain  mines  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  from  careful  inquiry  I  am  sure  they  abound  in 
gold.  I  have  come  here,  relying  on  these  tidings  to 
secure  for  myself  a  pardon.  Will  you  take  my  mes 
sage  to  the  adelantado  and  not  betray  me  if  I  wait 
here  for  your  return?" 

"I  recall  the  circumstances.  The  man  whom  you 
wounded  has  since  recovered,"  replied  Hernando. 
"I  will  conduct  you  to  Don  Bartholomew  and  let  you 
tell  your  own  story.  I  am  sure  you  will  be  pardoned." 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SAN  DOMINGO         373 

HernandoV.  enthusiastic  assurance  left  no  room 
for  doubt  in  Miguel's  mind  and  lie  presented  himself 
boldly  before  the  adelantado  at  once.  Hernando  was 
not  mistaken.  No  news  could  have  come  more  op 
portunely.  The  admiral  was  anxious  to  remove  the 
settlement  to  a  more  healthy  and  advantageous  situ 
ation.  He  was  desirous  also  of  carrying  home  some 
conclusive  proof  of  the  richness  of  the  island  ;  and  if 
these  representations  were  correct,  here  was  a  means 
of  accomplishing  both  his  purposes.  Don  Bartholo 
mew ,  accompanied  by  Hernando  and  his  father  and 
a  party  including  Miguel  Diaz,  set  out  at  once  to  ascer 
tain  the  truth. 

The  Indians  of  the  neighborhood  received  the 
Spaniards  with  the  promised  friendship  and  in  every 
respect  the  representations  of  Miguel  Diaz  were  fully 
verified.  When  the  adelantado  returned  with  his 
favorable  report  and  with  specimens  of  ore,  the 
anxious  heart  of  Columbus  was  greatly  elated.  He 
gave  orders  that  a  fort  should  immediately  be  erected 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  mines  and  that  they  should  be 
diligently  worked. 

Later  Hernando  went  to  the  admiral  for  permis 
sion  to  locate  his  land  grant  in  the  vicinity  and  remain 
with  his  father  and  work  in  the  mines,  and  Columbus  en 
couraged  him  in  the  belief  that  these  were  richer  than 
any  that  had  been  previously  discovered  and  would 
lavishly  repay  diligent  working.  When  the  admiral 
was  told  that  traces  of  ancient  excavations  had  been 
found  he  exclaimed  enthusiastically: 


374  COLUMBIA 

"At  last,  Hernando,  we  have  found  the  ancient 
Ophir!  These  undoubtedly  are  the  mines  which 
supplied  King  Solomon  with  the  gold  for  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem." 

In  such  a  state  of  exaltation  were  they  over  the 
prospects  of  the  wealth  in  store,  that  neither  realized 
the  pain  that  separation  would  bring;  but  when,  a 
few  days  later,  the  fleet  sailed  for  Spain,  Columbus, 
standing  alone  on  the  deck  of  his  ship,  saw  through  a 
mist  of  tears  the  slowly  receding  form  of  Hernando. 
Keen,  indeed,  was  the  pang  of  parting  from  the  youth 
ful  companion  of  his  disappointments  and  triumphs, 
and  on  his  face  was  an  expression  of  utter  loneliness. 

Of  all  the  messages  entrusted  to  the  admiral's  care 
none  was  so  zealously  guarded  as  the  one  from  Her 
nando  Estevan,  which  was  destined  to  gladden  at 
least  one  heart  in  sunny  Andalusia. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

COLUMBUS   IN    CHAINS. 

WHEN  Columbus  landed  in  the  port  of  Cadiz,  a 
feeble  train  of  wretched  men  crawled  forth,  emaciated 
by  the  diseases  of  the  colony  and  the  hardships  of  a 
three  months'  voyage.  They  were  not  laden  with 
the  spoils  of  the  Golden  Indies.  Instead,  they 
brought  nothing  but  tales  of  sickness,  poverty,  and 
disappointment.  This  was  in  striking  contrast  to  the 
admiral's  appearance  on  his  former  triumphant 
return.  He  endeavored  as  much  as  possible  to  coun 
teract  these  unfavorable  indications  and  to  revive  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  public,  but  he  was  doomed  to 
experience  the  reverses  to  which  they  are  subject  who 
have  once  launched  from  "the  safe  shores  of  obscurity 
on  the  fluctuating  waves  of  popular  opinion."  The 
world  is  prompt  to  lavish  its  admiration  at  first,  but 
soon  becomes  indifferent,  then  cold,  and  fancies  it  has 
been  defrauded  into  giving  with  such  prodigality. 
The  history  of  our  own  times  furnishes  striking  exam 
ples  of  like  character;  and  human  nature  was  pretty 
much  the  same  then  as  now.  Columbus  was  a  for 
eigner,  serving  an  adopted  country,  without  relatives 
or  powerful  connections  at'  court;  and  envy  and 
malice  had  been  but  too  successful  in  undermining  his 
375 


376  COLUMBIA 

popularity.  In  three  short  years,  which  had  been 
filled  with  trials  and  tribulations  for  the  admiral,  the 
public  had  become  accustomed  to  the  stupendous 
wonder  of  a  newly  discovered  world,  and  now  turned 
a  ready  ear  to  every  report  derogatory  to  the  fame  of 
the  discoverer. 

In  those  days  the  most  rapid  means  of  communica 
tion  was  by  courier  and  this  service  was  employed 
only  for  the  most  important  affairs.  The  newspaper 
was  not  then  in  existence  to  send  forth  to  the  public 
every  morning  a  report  of  the  happenings  of  the  day 
previous.  Rumors  circulated  readily  and  as  there 
was  no  means  of  confirming  or  denying  the  truth  of 
such  reports,  the  people  were  accustomed  to  accept 
such  news  as  authoritative. 

The  news  of  Columbus'  return  reached  the  little 
cottage,  which  is  already  familiar  to  the  reader  as  the 
scene  of  many  incidents  related  in  this  story,  late  one 
evening,  as  a  rumor  that  was  circulating  in  Palos. 
Christina  waited  anxiously  through  the  night,  and  the 
next  day  she  made  frequent  trips  to  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  which  commanded  a  more  distant  view  of  the 
road  that  wound  about  the  hills  of  Andalusia.  Each 
time  she  returned  to  the  cottage  with  an  aching  heart, 
though  all  the  while  trying  to  console  the  good  grand 
mother  with  explanations  of  Hernando's  delay.  For 
three  long,  weary  days  these  two  anxious  souls  waited 
impatiently  for  confirmation  of  the  rumor  of  Her 
nando's  homecoming.  At  last  Christina  broke  down 
under  the  strain  of  anxiety.  She  could  console  her- 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  377 

self  no  longer.  Recalling  the  many  stories  of  peril 
and  adventure  which  Hernando  told  her  on  his  return 
from  the  first  voyage,  she  was  sure  he  must  have  been 
among  the  unfortunate  ones  wyho  perished  in  the 
expedition.  Finally,  when  no  message  came,  she 
began  to  doubt  Hernando's  fidelity.  "He  has  no 
doubt  returned,"  she  thought,  "with  wealth  and  with 
the  influence  which  his  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  admiral  gives  him,  and  forgetting  his  promises 
to  me,  will  seek  the  hand  of  a  princess.  Indeed,  why 
should  he  share  his  good  fortune  with  an  orphan  who 
has  never  been  anything  more  than  the  object  of  his 
charity?  Do  I  not  already  owe  my  life  to  him?" 

At  last,  when  she  had  justified  such  conduct  in 
her  own  mind  and  was  on  the  point  of  speaking  her 
thoughts  to  Senora  Doria,  a  courier  arrived  with  the 
message  which  Hernando  had  entrusted  to  the  ad 
miral.  Had  it  been  received  a  few  days  earlier,  this 
letter  would  have  been  poor  consolation  to  Christina, 
who  had  already  waited  nearly  three  years  for  Her 
nando's  return;  but  after  the  anxiety  that  had  filled 
her  mind  with  doubt  of  her  lover,  it  was  sufficient 
merely  to  know  that  she  had  not  been  forgotten. 
Hernando's  letter  was  accompanied  by  an  invitation 
from  the  admiral  for  Christina  to  come  to  Cadiz  before 
he  took  his  departure,  and  as  he  was  daily  expecting  a 
summons  from  the  sovereigns,  Christina  and  the 
grandmother  were  on  their  way  early  the  next  morn 
ing. 

Christina  expected  to  see  Columbus  clad  in  the 


378  COLUMBIA 

finest  raiment,  and  she  wondered  greatly  when  he 
presented  himself  in  the  humble  garb  of  a  Franciscan 
monk,  simply  girded  with  a  cord;  later,  however,  she 
learned  that  this  was  in  fulfillment  of  a  penitential 
vow  made  in  a  moment  of  danger  —  a  custom  prev 
alent  in  those  days  and  frequently  observed  by 
Columbus. 

The  admiral  was  enthusiastic  in  his  praises  of 
Hernando's  unselfish  devotion. 

"In  all  our  hardships  he  has  been  my  constant 
companion.  When  others  protested,  he  was  uncom 
plaining;  when  they  would  have  turned  back  and 
brought  ruin  to  our  enterprises,  he  was  unwavering  in 
his  loyalty  and  steadfast  in  his  determination  to 
execute  the  orders  entrusted  to  him.  I  little  realized 
the  sacrifice  of  personal  service  I  was  making  in  con 
senting  to  let  him  remain  in  the  colony." 

Such  w7arm  praise  of  Hernando  from  so  great  a 
man  as  Columbus  filled  Christina's  heart  with  pride; 
she  had  a  hard  struggle  to  control  her  emotions,  but 
listened  calmly  as  the  admiral  continued: 

"All  preparations  had  been  made  for  him  to  return 
with  me,  but  while  the  fleet  was  lying  at  anchor  we 
were  visited  by  a  terrific  storm  which  destroyed  all 
our  vessels  save  one;  and,  unfortunately,  Hernando 
lost  everything  he  had  accumulated.  While  our 
ships  were  being  a  second  time  made  ready,  an  impor 
tant  discovery  was  made  in  the  richest  provinces  of 
Asia.  The  ancient  Ophir,  from  which  Solomon  pro 
cured  the  gold  for  his  temple  at  Jerusalem,  was  found, 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  379 

and  Hernando  remained  behind  to  assist  in  the  dili 
gent  working  of  those  mines.  When  ne  returns 
he  will  be  one  of  the  richest  men  in  all  Spain." 

So  impressive  and  convincing  was  the  manner  of 
Columbus  that  no  one  could  listen  to  his  accounts  of 
'his  discoveries  without  sharing  his  enthusiasm;  and 
Christina  was  made  to  feel  as  she  never  had  before 
that  these  few  years  of  separation  would  be  produc 
tive  of  rich  returns  in  happiness  and  prosperity  for 
Hernando  and  herself. 

During  their  interview,  a  courier  arrived  with  a 
letter  from  the  sovereigns,  congratulating  Columbus 
on  his  safe  return  and  inviting  him  to  present  himself 
at  court  as  soon  as  he  should  recover  from  the  fatigues 
of  his  voyage.  Preparations  were  made  for  an  early 
departure,  and  Christina  and  Senora  Doria  returned 
to  the  cottage  near  Palos.  On  his  way  to  court, 
Columbus  made  a  studious  display  of  the  treasures 
he  had  brought  from  the  New  World.  The  necessity  of 
resorting  to  such  means  —  the  mere  glitter  of  gold  — 
to  dazzle  the  gross  perceptions  of  the  multitude  can 
be  taken  as  indicative  of  the  attitude  of  the  public 
mind  at  that  time  toward  the  discoveries  of  Columbus. 
If  gold  were  not  to  be  found  there  in  prodigal  abun 
dance,  what  availed  it  that  an  unknown  navigator 
had  opened  to  the  world  these  vast  new  regions. 

The  reception  which  he  received  at  the  hands  of 
the  sovereigns  was  different  from  what  he  had  antic 
ipated.  No  mention  was  made  of  the  complaints 
made  by  Margarite  or  the  inquiries  conducted  by 


380  COLUMBIA 

Aguado.  The  sovereigns  were  too  conscious  of  the 
extraordinary  difficulties  of  Columbus'  situation  not 
to  tolerate  what  they  may  have  considered  errors  of 
judgment. 

Encouraged  by  the  favorable  attention  which  he 
received  and  the  interest  which  the  sovereigns  mani 
fested  in  the  accounts  of  his  recent  voyages  and  dis 
coveries,  Columbus  now  proposed  more  extensive 
enterprises,  and  asked  for  this  purpose  a  fleet  con 
sisting  of  eight  ships,  two  of  which  were  to  proceed  at 
once  to  Hispaniola,  for  the  relief  of  the  colony;  the 
remaining  six  to  be  put  under  his  command  for  the 
voyage  of  discovery.  The  promise  was  readily  given 
and  doubtless  it  was  made  in  good  faith;  but  again 
Columbus  was  destined  to  meet  with  irritating  delays. 
The  ambition  of  Ferdinand  taxed  the  resources  of 
Spain  to  the  utmost.  At  that  time  an  army  was  being 
maintained  in  Italy,  under  Gonsalvo  of  Cordova,  to 
assist  the  King  of  Naples  in  recovering  his  throne, 
from  which  he  had  been  suddenly  deposed  by  Charles 
VIII,  of  France;  and  another  on  the  frontiers  of 
Spain,  which  were  threatened  with  invasion  by  the 
French.  At  the  same  time  these  armies  were  in  the 
field,  Ferdinand  was  laying  the  foundations  of  a  wide 
and  powerful  connection  through  the  marriages  of  the 
royal  children.  It  was  this  family  alliance  which 
afterward  consolidated  such  an  immense  empire 
under  his  successor  and  grandson,  Charles  V.  With 
such  cares  pressing  upon  the  minds  of  the  sovereigns, 
the  distant  and  uncertain  enterprises  of  Columbus 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  381 

were  easily  neglected  and  were  postponed  until  the 
following  spring  of  1497. 

When  at  last  everything  else  was  in  readiness  for 
the  preparations  for  the  expedition,  an  entirely  new 
and  unexpected  difficulty  arose.  The  charm  of  nov 
elty,  which  in  the  preceding  voyages  made  many  crowd 
into  the  service  of  Columbus,  had  been  dispelled  and 
an  odium  had  been  thrown  upon  his  enterprises.  The 
public  no  longer  looked  upon  the  New  World  as  a 
region  of  wealth,  but  as  a  land  of  poverty  and  hard 
ship.  To  supply  the  lack  of  voluntary  recruits,  it  was 
necessary  to  commute  the  sentences  of  criminals  to 
transportation  to  the  new  settlements,  where  they 
were  to  labor  in  the  public  service.  This  measure  was 
adopted  at  the  suggestion  of  Columbus  himself,  which 
shows  the  desperate  straits  to  which  he  was  reduced 
by  reason  of  the  reaction  of  public  sentiment. 

At  length,  after  all  manner  of  harassing  delays, 
six  vessels  were  fitted  for  sea,  and  on  the  30th  of  May, 
1498,  Columbus  set  sail  from  the  port  of  San  Lucas  de 
Barrameda  on  his  third  voyage  of  discovery. 

At  the  Isle  of  Ferro  the  fleet  was  divided  and 
three  of  the  ships  were  sent  directly  to  Hispaniola, 
carrying  supplies  to  the  colony  at  San  Domingo. 
The  admiral  continued  with  the  other  three  ships  to 
the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  whence  he  sailed  south 
west  on  the  4th  of  July,  arriving  a  week  later  within 
five  degrees  of  the  equator.  This  course  brought 
him  needless  perils  and  hardships.  Had  he  sailed 
straight  west  from  Ferro  across  the  ocean,  he  might 


382  COLUMBIA 

have  had  a  comfortable  voyage,  with  the  trade  winds 
filling  his  sails,  to  the  point  where  he  touched  land  in 
South  America;  but  through  ignorance  of  atmos 
pheric  conditions  hi  the  tropical  regions,  he  followed 
the  custom  of  his  day  hi  first  sailing  to  the  parallel 
upon  which  he  wished  to  cross  the  ocean.  This 
brought  him  into  the  neutral  zone  between  the 
northern  and  the  southern  trade  winds,  a  trifle  north 
of  the  equator 

The  perils  encountered  have  been  best  described 
in  the  words  of  Washington  Irving: 

"The  wind  suddenly  fell  and  a  dead,  sultry  calm 
commenced,  which  lasted  for  eight  days.  The  air 
was  like  a  furnace;  the  tar  melted;  the  seams  of  the 
ship  yawned;  the  salt  meat  became  putrid;  the  wheat 
was  parched  as  if  with  fire;  the  hoops  shrank  from 
the  wine  and  water  casks,  some  of  which  leaked  and 
others  burst;  while  the  heat  in  the  holds  of  the  vessels 
was  so  suffocating  that  no  one  could  remain  below  a 
sufficient  time  to  prevent  the  damage  that  was  taking 
place.  The  mariners  lost  all  strength  and  spirits, 
and  sank  under  the  oppressive  heat.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  old  fable  of  the  torrid  zone  was  about  to  be  real 
ized,  and  that  they  were  approaching  a  fiery  region 
where  it  would  be  impossible  to  exist." 

During  this  time  the  admiral  suffered  extremely 
from  gout,  but  he  was  required  to  be  constantly  on 
duty  and  his  anxiety  allowed  him  no  repose.  The 
distresses  of  his  men  continued  to  increase,  until  on 
the  31st  of  July  —  when  their  supply  of  fresh  water 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  383 

was  exhausted  —  land  was  sighted.  The  summits 
of  three  mountains  rising  above  the  horizon  were 
first  seen;  and  with  a  feeling  of  devotion,  Columbus 
gave  the  land  the  name  of  La  Trinidad,  signifying 
Trinity.  While  coasting  Trinidad,  he  discovered 
the  Orinoco  and  his  vessels  were  nearly  swamped  by 
the  surging  tide  which  poured  from  the  mouth  of  that 
stupendous  river.  This  discovery  convinced  him  that 
the  coast  to  the  south  of  him  was  that  of  a  continent 
—  a  continuation  of  the  Cuban  coast  previously 
explored,  and  which  he  believed  was  the  extreme 
mainland  of  Asia. 

He  believed  that  by  following  this  river  one 
might  arrive  at  the  apex  of  the  world,  the  terres 
trial  paradise,  the  Garden  which  the  Lord  planted 
in  Eden  —  and  he  cited  many  authorities  to  support 
his  opinion. 

Continuing  westward,  he  explored  the  pearl  coast 
of  Paria,  and  the  abundance  of  fine  pearls  discovered 
confirmed  the  good  opinion  already  formed  of  that 
country. 

He  would  gladly  have  pursued  this  westward 
course,  but  by  this  time,  the  19th  of  August,  his 
strength  had  failed  him  and  he  steered  straight  to 
Hispaniola.  Three  months,  to  the  very  day,  from 
his  departure  from  Spain,  he  arrived — almost  the 
wreck  of  his  former  self — at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Ozema,  the  site  of  the  new  city  which  he  had 
directed  Don  Bartholomew  to  build  in  his  absence. 
This  settlement  was  afterward  called  San  Domingo 


384  COLUMBIA 

and  was  the  origin  of  the  city  which  to  this  day  bears 
that  name. 

Before  Columbus  came  ashore  he  was  welcomed 
with  affectionate  ardor  by  Don  Bartholomew  and 
Hernando.  The  meeting  between  the  two  brothers 
was  a  source  of  mutual  joy.  They  were  strongly  at 
tached  to  each  other;  each  had  had  his  trials  and  suffer 
ings  during  their  long  separation,  and  each  looked 
with  confidence  to  the  other  for  strength  and  comfort. 

"I  am  nearly  blind  from  incessant  watching," 
Columbus  replied  when  Hernando  remarked  his 
haggard  appearance.  "Anxious  watching  at  all 
hours  and  in  all  weathers  wears  harder  upon  me  as 
my  years  increase;  but  now,  Hernando,  that  I  have 
younger  shoulders  on  which  to  place  the  responsi 
bilities,  I  shall  have  respite  from  my  toils." 

When  he  arrived  at  San  Domingo  both  mind  and 
body  craved  relaxation;  but  from  the  time  he  entered 
public  life  he  was  destined  never  again  to  know  the 
peace  of  repose.  On  his  third  visit  to  the  New  World, 
he  found  everywhere  scenes  of  poverty  and  suffering 
and  the  former  hospitality  of  the  natives  at  an  end. 
The  island  was  in  the  throes  of  a  rebellion,  headed  by 
Francisco  Roldan,  the  alcalde  mayor,  or  chief  judge 
of  the  island,  a  man  under  the  deepest  obligations  to 
the  admiral. 

Roldan  was  one  of  those  base  spirits  who  grow 
venomous  in  the  sunshine  of  prosperity.  His  bene 
factor  had  returned  to  Spain  apparently  under  a 
cloud  of  disgrace.  No  word  coming  from  Columbus 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  385 

for  so  long  a  time,  Roldan  considered  him  ruined  and 
began  to  devise  means  by  which  he  might  reap  per 
sonal  profit  from  the  downfall  of  the  admiral.  His 
aim  was  to  bring  final  ruin  to  Don  Bartholomew  and 
Columbus,  both  with  the  colony  and  the  government 
at  home. 

The  wars  with  the  natives  and  the  seditions  among 
the  colonists  had  put  a  stop  to  the  labor  of  the  mines, 
and  all  hopes  of  acquiring  wealth  had  been  abandoned. 
What  was  still  worse,  they  were  facing  the  horrors  cf 
a  famine.  Such  was  the  desperate  state  in  which 
Columbus  found  the  colony  in  consequence  of  his 
long  detention  in  Spain. 

"The  adelantado  has  been  wonderfully  alert  and 
skillful  in  his  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  colony 
during  your  absence,  admiral,"  said  Hernando  when 
he  was  alone  with  Columbus.  "He  is  always  at  the 
post  of  danger  at  the  critical  moment.  In  accordance 
with  your  policy  not  to  leave  discontented  men  in 
idleness,  he  has  been  most  active  in  making  frequent 
marches  from  one  remote  province  to  another.  But 
Roldan,  in  his  efforts  to  undermine  Don  Bartholo 
mew's  influence,  has  caused  reports  to  be  circulated 
that  those  marches  were  made  in  order  that  Don 
Bartholomew  might  enrich  himself  with  the  spoils  of 
the  caciques.  With  subtle  skill  he  has  sought  to 
instill  poison  into  the  minds  of  the  colonists,  and  one 
by  one  has  added  them  to  his  following  until  he  could 
openly  defy  the  adelantado.  Our  loyal  service  and 
best  efforts  have  accomplished  but  little."  Her- 

Vol.  1—25 


386  COLUMBIA 

nando  finished  his  unsolicited  report  in  a  half  apolo 
getic  tone. 

"With  every  exertion  the  best  of  men  can  accom 
plish  but  a  limited  amount  of  good,  but  it  seems  in  the 
power  of  the  most  contemptible  individual  to  do 
incalculable  mischief,"  replied  Columbus. 

The  first  thing  Columbus  did  on  his  arrival  was  to 
issue  a  proclamation  approving  of  all  the  measures 
adopted  by  the  adelantado  and  denouncing  Roldan 
and  his  associates.  Later  he  offered  the  rebel  pardon 
on  condition  of  his  immediate  return  to  duty.  The 
offer  was  accompanied  by  a  request  that  he  come  to 
San  Domingo,  and  the  positive  assurance  of  personal 
safety  for  him.  Roldan  treated  the  proffered  pardon 
with  contempt  and  intimated,  at  the  same  time,  that 
in  his  hands  he  held  the  fortunes  of  the  admiral,  to 
make  or  mar  as  he  pleased.  This  arrogant  reply  was 
not  what  Columbus  had  hoped  to  receive  and  it 
served'  to  make  his  position  an  even  more  difficult 
one. 

"Order  the  men  of  San  Domingo  to  appear  under 
arms,  that  we  may  ascertain  the  force  with  which  we 
can  take  the  field,  in  case  of  necessity,"  were  the 
directions  given  the  adelantado,  after  a  brief  confer 
ence  between  himself  and  Columbus,  at  which  Her- 
nando  was  present.  "While  this  order  is  being 
executed,  circulate  the  report,  Hernando,  that  the 
force  is  to  be  led  against  the  rebels  under  Roldan." 

Later,  Hernando  reported  to  the  admiral  that  he 
had  caused  this  rumor  to  be  spread,  and  added 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  387 

"Only  seventy  men  have  appeared  under  arms,  and 
not  more  than  half  of  them  are  to  be  relied  upon." 

"What  excuse  do  they  offer?" 

"One  affected  to  be  ill,  another  lame;  some  had 
relatives,  others  friends,  among  the  followers  of  Rol- 
dan." 

"An  appeal  to  arms  would  only  betray  our  weak 
ness,"  said  Columbus. 

"Such  a  course,"  advised  Don  Bartholomew, 
"would  completely  prostrate  the  dignity  and  author 
ity  of  the  government.  We  must  temporize,  how 
ever  humiliating." 

"I  had  hoped  to  put  an  end  to  this  rebellion  before 
the  squadron  returns  to  Spain,  so  as  to  send  favorable 
accounts  of  the  island  to  the  sovereigns,  but  I  have 
already  detained  the  fleet  eighteen  days,  in  the  hope 
of  sending  home  as  many  of  the  discontented  colon 
ists  as  care  to  return.  We  cannot  delay  the  ships 
longer." 

This  council  was  held  on  the  17th  of  October  and 
on  the  following  day  the  fleet  put  out  to  sea.  Col 
umbus  wrote  the  sovereigns  an  account  of  the  rebel 
lion,  stating  that  Roldan  pretended  it  was  a  mere 
quarrel  between  himself  and  the  adelantado,  of  which 
he,  Columbus,  could  not  be  an  impartial  judge.  He 
entreated  that  Roldan  be  summoned  to  Spain,  where 
the  sovereigns  might  be  his  judges. 

Roldan  and  his  friends  also  used  this  opportunity 
to  send  letters  to  Spain,  justifying  the  rebellion  by 
charging  Columbus  and  his  brothers  with  oppression 


388  COLUMBIA 

and  injustice  and  painting  their  conduct  in  the  black 
est  colors.  One  would  hardly  suppose  that  the  rep 
resentations  of  these  rebels  would  have  any  weight 
against  the  exalted  services  of  Columbus;  but  popu 
lar  prejudice  was  on  their  side,  and  numerous  friends 
and  relatives  in  Spain,  some  of  whom  were  in  the  con 
fidence  of  the  sovereigns.  Columbus,  to  use  his 
own  simple  but  affecting  words,  was  "absent,  envied, 
and  a  stranger." 

The  cold  reply  which  Columbus  received  from 
Spain  in  response  to  his  earnest  entreaties  to  the 
sovereigns  had  a  disheartening  effect  upon  him. 
Full  of  zeal,  however,  for  the  success  of  his  under 
taking  and  of  fidelity  to  the  interests  of -the  sover 
eigns,  he  resolved  to  spare  no  personal  sacrifice  of 
dignity  in  order  to  bring  to  an  end  the  troubles  of  the 
island. 

Roldan  was  finally  restored  to  his  former  position 
of  alcalde  mayor,  or  chief  judge,  and  Columbus  bore 
patiently  the  insolence  of  the  man  and  of  the  shame 
less  rabble  which  had  returned,  under  his  protection, 
to  the  settlement.  While  Columbus  was  laboring 
with  loyal  zeal  to  bring  the  island  back  to  obedience, 
and  making  great  sacrifices  to  accomplish  that  end, 
his  enemies  were  busy  discrediting  him  at  court. 
Every  vessel  which  sailed  from  the  New  World  carried 
complaints  representing  Columbus  and  his  brothers 
as  upstarts,  unaccustomed  to  command  and  inflated 
with  their  sudden  rise  from  obscurity.  He  was  even 
accused  of  a  design  to  cast  off  all  allegiance  to  Spain 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  389 

and  either  make  himself  sovereign  of  the  newly  dis 
covered  countries  or  yield  them  into  the  hands  of 
some  other  power.  By  the  time  he  had  succeeded  in 
restoring  a  measure  of  tranquillity  in  the  island, 
events  had  come  to  pass  in  Spain  which  were  to  over 
whelm  him  with  distress  and  leave  him  crushed  in 
spirit  for  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

King  Ferdinand  had  never  regarded  Columbus  with 
entire  cordiality,  and  since  ascertaining  the  importance 
of  his  discoveries  had  regretted  the  extensive  powers 
vested  in  his  hands.  The  insistent  clamors  which  had 
arisen  during  the  brief  administration  of  Don  Barthol 
omew  at  length  determined  the  king  to  send  out  some 
person  of  rank  and  ability  to  investigate  the  affairs  of 
the  colony.  This  man  was  empowered,  should  he  find 
Columbus  and  his  brother  culpable,  to  supersede 
them  in  the  government  —  a  singular  mode  of  insur 
ing  partiality.  The  man  chosen  for  this  high  office 
was  an  officer  of  the  royal  household,  Don  Francisco 
de  Bobadilla.  He  is  described  by  his  contemporaries 
as  needy,  passionate,  and  ambitious;  three  weighty 
objections  to  his  appointment  to  a  position  where  the 
judge  was  to  derive  wealth  and  power  from  the  con 
viction  of  the  accused. 

Columbus  was  absent  from  San  Domingo  on  the 
23d  day  of  August,  1500,  when  two  caravels  were 
descried  off  the  harbor,  about  a  league  at  sea.  Don 
Bartholomew  also  was  away  on  an  expedition,  and 
Don  Diego  was  in  command  temporarily.  He  sup 
posed  the  ships  in  the  harbor  had  arrived  from  Spain 


390  COLUMBIA 

with  supplies  and  hoped  to  find  on  board  Columbus' 
son,  Diego,  whose  presence  the  admiral  had  request 
ed  to  assist  him  in  his  various  concerns.  Hernando 
put  out  in  a  canoe  to  inquire  whether  Diego  was  on 
board.  Bobadilla  himself  replied,  "I  am  the  com 
missioner  sent  out  to  investigate  the  rebellion." 

The  master  of  the  caravel,  who  was  standing  by 
his  side,  then  called  to  Hernando: 

"What  report  have  you  of  the  island?" 

"The  rebellion  has  been  crushed.  Seven  of  the 
rebels  have  been  hung  this  week  and  five  more  are  in 
the  fortress  of  San  Domingo,  condemned  to  suffer  the 
same  fate,"  replied  Hernando,  with  the  confident 
assurance  that  the  information  would  be  gratifying 
to  the  commissioner,  who  was  coming  in  the  interests 
of  peace. 

In  reply  to  his  question,  Hernando  told  Bobadilla 
that  Don  Diego  was  in  command  and  that  the  admiral 
and  Don  Bartholomew  were  absent  from  the  city. 
When  he  returned  to  San  Domingo  with  the  news  that 
a  commissioner  had  arrived  to  make  inquiry  into  the 
late  rebellion,  there  was  great  agitation  throughout 
the  community,  while  everyone  awaited  in  breathless 
suspense  the  landing  of  the  commissioner. 

The  next  morning  Bobadilla  came  ashore  with  all 
his  followers  and  went  to  the  church  to  attend  mass, 
where  he  found  Don  Diego.  In  the  presence  of  the 
populace  assembled  at  the  door  of  the  church  after 
the  service,  Bobadilla  ordered  his  letters  patent  to 
be  read,  authorizing  him  to  investigate  the  rebellion, 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  391 

seize  the  persons  and  property  of  the  delinquents, 
and 'proceed  against  them  at  once  with  the  utmost 
rigor  of  the  law;  then,  addressing  Don  Diego,  "I 
demand  the  persons  of  all  prisoners,  with  the  deposi 
tions  taken  concerning  them;  and  order  that  the  men 
by  whom  they  were  accused  and  those  by  whose 
commands  they  were  arrested  appear  before  me." 

"The  proceedings  were  by  order  of  the  admiral, 
who  holds  superior  powers  to  any  which  you  can 
possess;  and  without  his  authority,  I  cannot  obey 
your  commands,"  replied  Don  Diego. 

The  self-important  Bobadilla  was  incensed  at 
Don  Diego's  refusal  to  execute  his  orders,  and  he 
retorted  boastfully,  "I  will  show  you  that  I  have 
command,  not  merely  over  you,  but  over  the  admiral 
himself." 

The  next  morning  Bobadilla  again  appeared  at 
mass,  resolved  on  assuming  at  once  the  authority 
which  rightly  was  to  be  his  only  after  full  investiga 
tion  of  affairs  and  ample  proof  of  the  malconduct  of 
Columbus.  In  the  presence  of  the  people  he  ordered 
read  his  other  royal  letter,  investing  him  with  the 
government  of  the  islands.  He  then  took  the  cus 
tomary  oath  of  office  and  again  demanded  the  pris 
oners  confined  in  the  fortress  and  was  again  refused 
by  Don  Diego. 

When  his  commands  had  been  refused  the  third 
tune,  Bobadilla  repaired  to  the  fortress  to  take  the 
prisoners  by  force  of  arms.  The  post  was  commanded 
by  Miguel  Diaz,  the  Aragonian  cavalier  who  owed 


392  COLUMBIA 

his  pardon  and  restitution  to  honor  to  Hernando's 
intercession  with  the  adelantado.  Miguel  Diaz's 
loyalty  to  the  admiral  could  not  be  shaken  by  threats 
and  Bobadilla  was  compelled  to  storm  the  fortress, 
which  he  found  destitute  of  a  garrison  and  formidable 
in  name  only. 

While  Bobadilla  was  making  this  arrogant  en 
trance  into  office,  Hernando  was  hastening  to  the 
admiral,  who  was  at  Fort  Conception,  one  of  the  five 
military  posts  of  the  island. 

"These  are  the  unauthorized  acts  of  some  rash 
adventurer,"  said  Columbus  in  reply  to  Hernando's 
report.  "It  is  impossible  to  believe  that  this  man 
is  sanctioned  by  the  government  in  such  intemperate 
measures,"  he  continued  with  indignation,  as  Her 
nando  laid  before  him  the  details  of  Bobadilla's 
actions  in  taking  possession  of  the  admiral's  house 
and  seizing  his  property,  both  public  and'  private, 
even  his  most  secret  papers. 

The  repeated  assurances  of  high  consideration  on 
the  part  of  the  sovereigns  and  the  perpetual  preroga 
tives  granted  to  him,  with  all  the  solemnity  of  a  com 
pact  under  their  hand  and  seal,  forbade  him  to  con 
sider  the  recent  events  at  San  Domingo  as  other  than 
outrages  on  his  authority  by  some  misguided  indi 
vidual. 

"We  must  proceed  to  Bonao,  in  order  that  we 
may  be  near  San  Domingo,"  said  Columbus. 

"Shall  I  order  the  guards  to  accompany  you?" 
asked  Hernando,  eager  to  render  some  service. 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  393 

"No,  we  will  travel  unattended." 

They  had  hardly  reached  the  place,  when  an 
alcalde  from  Bobadilla  arrived,  bearing  copies  of  his 
letters  patent,  but  accompanied  by  no  special  letter 
or  message  to  the  admiral.  None  of  the  common 
forms  of  courtesy  was  observed  in  superseding  him  in 
command. 

Columbus  was  exceedingly  embarrassed  but  he 
wrote  Bobadilla  in  guarded  terms,  welcoming  him  to 
the  island.  He  received  no  reply,  and  while  this 
insulting  silence  was  maintained  toward  him,  he  re 
mained  in  an  anxious  and  perplexed  state  of  mind, 
uncertain  what  course  to  pursue.  Finally,  a  sum 
mons  was  received  from  Bobadilla  to  appear  before 
him  at  once,  accompanied  by  the  royal  letter  of  cre 
dence;  and  without  further  hesitation  the  admiral  de 
parted  for  San  Domingo,  unattended  except  by  Her- 
nando.  On  reaching  San  Domingo^  Columbus  found 
his  brother  Don  Diego  in  irons,  confined  on  board  a 
caravel,  with  no  reason  assigned  for  his  imprisonment. 

Hernando  had  gone  to  seek  his  friend,  Miguel 
Diaz,  and  learn  from  him  what  information  he  could, 
but  had  been  gone  only  a  few  minutes  when  he  re 
turned  in  a  great  state  of  agitation. 

"Admiral,"  he  cried,  "Bobadilla  has  ordered  that 
you  be  put  in  chains  and  confined  in  the  fortress,  and 
three  officers  are  coming  to  make  the  arrest." 

Hernando  wept  bitterly,  but  Columbus  uttered 
not  a  word,  nor  did  he  display  the  least  emotion. 
With  characteristic  magnanimity  he  looked  beyond  the 


394  COLUMBIA 

petty  tyranny  of  this  shallow  agent  to  the  sovereigns 
who  had  employed  him. 

When  the  officers  arrived  and  proceeded  to  carry 
out  the  orders  of  Bobadilla,  Hernando  could  not  bear 
to  witness  the  outrage  and  left  the  room;  and  Boba 
dilla,  although  he  had  the  admiral  and  Don  Diego  in 
his  power,  was  anxious  and  ill  at  ease.  Don  Bar 
tholomew  was  still  at  large  with  an  armed  force 
under  his  command,  and  knowing  his  warlike  spirit, 
Bobadilla  feared  he  might  take  some  violent  measures 
when  he  learned  of  the  imprisonment  of  his  brothers; 
but  Columbus  sent  a  message  to  Don  Bartholomew, 
instructing  him  to  repair  peaceably  to  San  Domingo 
and  urging  him  to  submit  quietly  to  all  present 
wrongs. 

The  adelantado  complied  with  these  instructions 
and  hastened  to  San  Domingo,  where  he  received  the 
same  treatment  as  was  accorded  his  brothers.  They 
were  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  cause  of  their  imprison 
ment  and  were  separated  from  each  other.  Bobadilla 
himself  did  not  see  them  nor  would  he  permit  others 
to  visit  them. 

It  is  a  question  whether  Bobadilla  really  had  the 
authority  to  arrest  Columbus  and  his  brothers,  but 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  he  reversed  the  order  of 
his  instructions.  Having  pre-determined  that  Col 
umbus  was  in  the  wrong,  he  had  to  assume  by  the 
same  rule  that  all  those  opposed  to  Columbus  were 
in  the  right.  It  was  necessary,  for  his  own  justifica 
tion,  to  inculpate  the  admiral  and  his  brothers;  and 


COLUMBUS    IN    CHAINS. 


:>:*  -4 


COLUMBUS  IN  CHAINS  395 

the  rebels  he  had  been  sent  to  punish  became,  by  this 
simple  rule  of  perversion,  necessary  witnesses  to  con 
vict  those  against  whom  they  had  rebelled.  His 
became  a  common  cause  with  theirs,  and  in  a  manner 
he  made  the  rebels  his  confederates  in  the  ruin  of 
Columbus.  After  having  obtained  what  he  considered 
sufficient  testimony  to  condemn  the  prisoners  and 
secure  himself  in  command,  he  decided  to  send  the 
admiral  and  his  brothers  home  in  chains. 

Hernando  was  well-nigh  broken-hearted  at  the 
sad  fate  that  had  come  upon  his  beloved  master.  He 
and  Roderigo  spent  many  an  anxious  hour  in  the 
little  cottage  that  had  been  erected  on  his  land  grant 
just  outside  of  San  Domingo.  Immediately  on 
learning  that  Columbus  was  to  be  sent  back  to  Spain, 
Hernando  set  about  securing  permission  to  accom 
pany  him;  and  almost  to  his  own  surprise  was  suc 
cessful  in  his  attempt.  It  was  arranged  that  Rod 
erigo  should  stay  in  San  Domingo  and  live  on  Her- 
nando's  land  grant,  which,  as  it  had  been  issued  by 
the  king  himself,  was  beyond  Bobadilla's  power  to 
confiscate. 

By  this  time  San  Domingo  swarmed  with  mis 
creants  just  delivered  from  the  dungeon.  There  was 
a  perfect  jubilee  of  triumphant  villainy.  The  most 
malicious  slanders  were  shouted  in  the  streets  outside 
the  fortress  where  the  admiral  was  confined.  When 
they  reached  his  ears  in  the  dungeon,  Columbus 
reflected  on  the  violence  already  manifested  and 
began  to  be  apprehensive  for  his  life.  He  feared 


396  COLUMBIA 

that  he  might  be  sacrificed  without  a  hearing;  and 
when  the  officer,  Alonzo  de  Villejo,  who  had  been 
appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  prisoners  and  conduct 
them  back  to  Spain,  entered  with  a  guard,  Columbus 
thought  he  was  to  be  taken  to  the  scaffold. 

"Villejo,"  he  said  mournfully,  "whither  are  you 
taking  me?" 

"To  the  ship,  your  excellency,  to  embark,"  replied 
the  officer. 

"To  embark!"  repeated  the  admiral,  earnestly; 
"Villejo,  do  you  speak  the  truth?" 

"By  the  life  of  your  excellency,"  replied  the 
honest  officer,  "it  is  true." 

When  the  admiral  saw  the  face  of  Hernando  he 
was  comforted.  It  should  be  said  to  the  credit  of 
Villejo  that  he  discharged  the  duties  of  his  office  in  a 
more  generous  manner  than  was  intended  by  Boba- 
dilla.  Hernando  soon  secured  permission  to  remove 
the  irons;  but  when  they  approached  Columbus  to 
liberate  him,  he  would  not  consent. 

"No,"  said  he,  proudly;  "their  majesties  com 
manded  me  by  letter  to  submit  to  whatever  Bobadilla 
should  order  in  their  name.  By  their  authority  he 
has  put  me  in  chains.  I  shall  wear  them  until  they 
order  them  to  be  taken  off,  and  shall  preserve  them 
afterward  as  a  memorial  of  the  reward  of  my  services." 

He  did  so,  and  kept  them  hanging  in  his  room  to 
the  day  of  his  death. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

TEMPEST-TOSSED. 

"DoN  CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS,  DISCOVERER  OF  THE 

NEW  WORLD,    ARRIVES   A    PRISONER  IN   CHAINS." 

WHAT  a  sensational  headline  such  an  announce 
ment  would  make  in  a  modern  metropolitan  daily 
papsr!  Imagine,  if  you  can,  such  an  announcement, 
and  you  will  be  able  to  form  some  conception  of  the 
commotion  created  in  Spain  when  Columbus  landed 
at  Cadiz  in  custody  of  Alonzo  de  Villejo.  The  excite 
ment  was  only  slightly  less  than  on  his  triumphant 
return  from  the  first  voyage. 

In  their  eager  determination  to  ruin  Columbus 
his  enemies  had  defeated  their  own  object  by  their 
violence.  Persecution  pushed  too  far  produces  a 
reaction  in  the  public  mind,  and  when  Columbus 
arrived  at  Cadiz,  those  who  had  been  loud  in  their 
clamor  against  him  were  moved  by  the  shameful 
treatment  accorded  him  into  loud  expressions  of 
sympathy,  against  which  not  even  the  government 
could  contend.  The  halls  of  the  Alhambra  were 
filled  with  murmurs  of  astonishment  when  the  tidings 
of  his  arrival  in  such  an  ignominious  manner  reached 
the  court  at  Granada. 

In  those  days  it  required  considerable  time  to 
397 


•Xkl.i  &rw*MtiffW< 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  399 

send  a  message  from  Cadiz,  through  the  winding 
passes  of  the  mountains,  to  Granada;  and  in  waiting 
for  a  reply  to  the  message  which  he  sent  the  sover 
eigns  immediately  on  his  arrival,  Columbus  was 
compelled  to  spend  many  days  and  nights  in  restless 
suspense. 

When  the  noble-minded  Isabella  learned  that  the 
royal  authority  had  been  abused  and  how  greatly 
Columbus  had  been  wronged,  her  heart  was  filled  with 
mingled  sympathy  and  indignation.  Without  wait 
ing  for  any  evidence  that  might  come  from  Bobadilla, 
orders  were  sent  to  Cadiz  that  the  prisoners  should 
instantly  be  set  at  liberty  and  treated  with  all  dis 
tinction. 

The  anxiety  had  not  been  less  telling  on  Hernando 
than  on  the  admiral  himself;  and  in  addition  to  his 
concern  for  his  master,  he  was  being  consumed  by  a 
desire  to  see  Christina.  After  a  few  days,  Columbus 
succeeded  in  persuading  Hernando  that  he  could  be  of 
no  further  service  before  the  departure  for  Granada, 
and  the  youth  set  out  for  Palos,  with  the  little  cottage 
home  of  his  childhood  as  his  goal. 

With  what  impatience  does  a  traveler  approach 
the  end  of  his  journey,  after  many  weary  days  of 
travel.  The  desire  to  be  at  his  journey's  end  seems 
to  increase  in  mathematical  proportion  as  the  distance 
lessens.  To  Hernando,  the  journey  from  Cadiz  to 
Palos  seemed  longer  than  the  voyage  across  the 
Atlantic.  He  begrudged  his  steed  the  few  moments 
that  were  lost  for  necessary  rest  and  refreshment, 


400 


COLUMBIA 


and  on  arriving  at  Palos  he  tarried  only  long  enough 
to  confirm  the  report  which  had  preceded  him,  of  the 
arrival  of  the  squadron;  then  again  he  was  on  his 
way  to  the  cottage  in  the  hills  near  by. 

"Our  arrival  has  been  reported  in  Palos,"  said  he 
to  himself,  "and  no  doubt  the  news  has  reached 


THE  DESERTED .COTTAGE. 

Christina.  She  has  been  expecting  me  for  several 
days.  Doubtless  she  is  looking  for  me  now — perhaps 
will  be  coming  to  meet  me;"  and  he  watched  the 
path  with  anxious  eye. 

The  shades  of  night  were  gathering  as  Hernando 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  401 

approached  the  cottage,  his  hearjt  throbbing  violently 
with  emotion;  but  to  his  utter  amazement  no  light 
was  to  be  seen;  the  door  was  closed.  He  called 
loudly  for  Christina  and  the  grandmother,  but  heard 
no  sound  in  reply  save  the  echo  of  his  own  voice. 
Everything  was  still;  the  cottage  was  deserted. 

Nature  is  kind  and  wonderfully  sympathetic  in 
preparing  her  children  for  the  calamities  that  are 
inevitable.  The  violent  state  of  Hernando's  emotions 
saved  him  now  from  being  completely  crushed  by  the 
blow.  Scarcely  knowing  what  he  did,  he  returned  to 
Palos  and  went  direct  to  the  home  of  Vincent  Yanez 
Pinzon,  who  had  been  captain  of  one  of  the  caravels 
that  sailed  with  Columbus  on  his  first  voyage.  Heart 
sick  and  anxious,  he  searched  his  mind  for  any  pos 
sible  clue  that  might  shed  light  on  the  disappearance 
of  his  loved  ones.  He  knew  that  the  little  port  of 
Palos,  which  had  been  so  slow  in  furnishing  the  first 
fleet  for  Columbus,  was  now  continually  agitated  by 
the  passion  for  discovery.  From  the  various  sea 
ports  of  Spain  departed  an  almost  constant  stream  of 
vessels,  encouraged  by  the  discoveries  of  Columbus 
to  undertake  all  sorts  of  voyages  of  exploration.  To 
Hernando,  groping  in  the  dark  for  hope,  came  the 
thought  as  if  by  inspiration,  "Christina  and  Grandame 
Doria  have  despaired  of  my  returning  and  have  sailed 
in  one  of  the  squadrons  for  Hispaniola";  and  to 
Captain  Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon  he  turned  as  the  one 
who  could  most  likely  confirm  or  deny  the  truth  of 
his  conviction. 

Vol.  1—26 


402  COLUMBIA 

He  found  that  Captain  Pinzon  had  just  returned, 
after  an  absence  of  almost  a  year,  from  the  voyage 
which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the  famous  kingdom 
of  Brazil.  To  his  former  glory  he  had  added  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  European  to  cross  the  equi 
noctial  line  in  the  western  ocean. 

"They  applied  for  passage  in  our  squadron," 
replied  Captain  Vincent  to  Hernando's  questioning, 
"but  were  dissuaded  when  told  that  we  did  not  con 
template  following  in  the  path  of  the  admiral." 

"Do  you  refer  to  the  aged  sefiora  and  her  grand 
daughter,  Captain  Vincent  ?"  asked  another  member 
of  the  household,  who  had  entered  the  room  just  in 
time  to  hear  the  reply  to  Hernando's  question. 

"Yes,  Sefiora  Doria  and  Christina,"  said  Hernan- 
do  eagerly. 

"They  were  here  only  a  few  weeks  ago.  Have 
they  met  with  misfortune?" 

"I  greatly  fear  some  calamity  has  overtaken  them. 
I  have  just  come  from  the  cottage  and  found,  it  de 
serted,"  answered  Hernando. 

"They  seemed  greatly  agitated  over  the  rumors 
of  the  impending  downfall  of  Columbus,  which  have 
persistently  circulated  in  Palos  since  Bobadilla 
sailed." 

"Did  they  speak  of  leaving  for  the  new  world?" 
inquired  the  anxious  lover. 

"Sefiorita  Christina  desired  to  know  if  another 
expedition  was  expected  to  sail  soon,  and  I  mentioned 
that  two  vessels  would  leave  shortly  from  Cadiz." 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  493 

"They  are  no  doubt  members  of  the  expedition 
which  sailed  under  the  command  of  Roderigo  Bas- 
tides,"  was  the  reassuring  comment  of  Captain  Vin 
cent,  who  had  been  an  attentive  listener  to  the  con 
versation. 

Hernando's  mind  was  greatly  relieved  and  he  was 
persuaded  to  remain  over  night  for  much-needed  rest. 
Early  the  next  day  he  was  on  his  way  back  to  Cadiz 
to  join  the  admiral,  hoping,  perchance,  that  he  might 
find  Christina  and  his  grandmother  there,  before  they 
should  have  sailed  for  the  New  World.  On  arriving, 
he  made  diligent  inquiry,  only  to  learn  that  they  were 
in  the  squadron  which  sailed  from  Cadiz  just  a  few 
weeks  before  he  had  arrived  there;  and  though  bit 
terly  disappointed  at  the  deferred  meeting  with 
Christina,  the  knowledge  that  no  evil  had  befallen 
her  helped  in  large  measure  to  mitigate  his  trouble. 
He  was  comforted,  too,  by  the  thought  that  his  father 
would  care  for  Christina — for  her  own  sweet  sake  as 
well  as  for  his  son's  —  as  tenderly  as  though  she  were 
his  own  daughter. 

During  Hernando's  absence  the  royal  messenger 
had  arrived  from  Granada,  and  the  prisoners  had 
been  restored  to  liberty.  The  sovereigns'  letter  to 
the  admiral  was  couched  in  terms  of  gratitude  and 
affection  and  was  filled  with  expressions  of  their 
grief  at  the  wrongs  he  had  suffered.  The  loyal  heart 
of  Columbus  was  greatly  •  cheered  by  the  letter  and 
the  return  of  Hernando  gave  him  new  courage. 

"  We  shall  receive  immediate  restitution  of  all  our 


404  COLUMBIA 

rights  and  dignities,"  was  the  confident  assurance 
with  which  Columbus  greeted  Hernando. 

The  royal  invitation  for  Columbus  to  present  him 
self  at  court  was  accompanied  by  a  purse  of  two 
thousand  ducats  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  jour 
ney,  and  they  immediately  departed  for  Granada, 
where  they  arrived  on  the  17th  of  December,  1500. 

There  is  a  noble  scorn  which  supports  the  soul 
and  silences  the  tongue  of  a  great  man  like  Columbus 
in  the  presence  of  the  unworthy.  He  had  endured 
uncomplainingly  the  insults  of  ignoble  men;  but  he 
possessed  quick  sensibilities,  and  when  the  queen 
received  him  in  tears  he  was  unable  to  control  his 
long-suppressed  feelings.  Throwing  himself  on  his 
knees,  he  was  for  some  time  unable  to  speak  for  the 
violence  of  his  grief.  Hernando  could  not  keep  back 
his  tears,  and  when  he  saw  the  sovereigns  raise  the 
admiral  to  his  feet,  his  heart  was  too  full  for  utterance. 
Presently,  when  Columbus  had  regained  self-posses 
sion,  he  began  an  eloquent  and  high-minded  vindica 
tion  of  his  conduct. 

"My  lord  admiral,  there  can  be  no  vindication  on 
your  part,"  was  the  reassuring  interruption  of  the 
queen.  "You  stand  in  the  presence  of  your  sover 
eigns  a  deeply  injured  man,  and  it  remains  for  them 
to  vindicate  themselves  of  the  charge  of  ingratitude 
toward  their  most  deserving  subject." 

"The  proceedings  of  Bobadilla  have  been  contrary 
to  our  instructions,"  said  the  king,  "and  he  shall 
immediately  be  dismissed  from  his  command." 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  495 

After  receiving  their  gracious  letter  inviting  him  to 
court,  Columbus  had  expected  to  be  received  cordial 
ly  by  his  sovereigns,  but  he  was  hardly  prepared  for 
the  unqualified  favor  and  distinction  which  they 
accorded  him.  No  public  notice  was  taken  of  the 
charges  made  by  Bobadilla  and  Columbus  was  assured 
that  his  property  would  be  restored  and  that  he  would 
be  reinstated  in  all  his  privileges  and  dignities. 

"  A  restoration  of  the  vice  royalty  will  immediately 
take  place,"  said  Columbus  when  he  and  Hernando 
were  alone  together  after  the  reception  at  court. 

"Then  we  shall  return  in  triumph  to  San  Do 
mingo?" 

"God  grant  we  may,"  replied  Columbus,  who 
knew  that  the  lad's  eager  question  was  prompted  by 
a  deeper  feeling  than  the  mere  desire  to  humiliate 
their  enemies. 

Both  were  doomed  to  disappointment ;  Hernando, 
as  usual,  sharing  the  bitter  humiliation  which  threw 
a  cloud  of  gloom  over  the  remainder  of  the  admiral's 
days  —  and  all  the  while  nursing  his  own  heartache. 
The  long,  weary  months  of  separation  from  Chris 
tina,  which  had  stretched  into  years,  began  to  wear 
on  the  youth  and  at  times  he  doubted  if  he  should 
ever  see  her  again 

The  ambitious  Ferdinand  had  found  his  resources 
inadequate  for  his  numerous  enterprises;  and  unable 
to  fit  out  many  armaments  himself,  a  general  license 
had  been  granted  in  1495  to  undertake  voyages  of 
discovery.  This  was  followed  by  various  expeditions 


406  COLUMBIA 

headed  by  enterprising  individuals,  most  of  whom 
had  sailed  with  Columbus  on  his  first  voyages.  The 
career  of  glory  which  Columbus  had  opened  for  him 
self  was  now  thronged  by  favored  adventurers,  and 
the  different  seaports  fairly  swarmed  with  fleets  that 
were  fitted  out  without  expense  to  the  government. 
In  this  way,  Spanish  territories  were  extended  and 
the  royal  treasury  benefited  by  a  liberal  share  of  the 
proceeds  of  these  voyages,  without  expense  to  the 
crown;  and  Ferdinand  realized  that  the  services  of 
Columbus  were  no  longer  indispensable.  At  length 
he  repented  of  having  given  such  great  powers  and 
prerogatives  to  Columbus,  and  each  voyage,  instead 
of  adding  to  his  feeling  of  obligation,  made  the  king 
regret  more  and  more  the  growing  magnitude  of  the 
reward,  until  at  last  he  came  to  feel  that  he  had  been 
outwitted  by  one  of  his  subjects  —  and  a  foreigner 
at  that.  After  repeated  disappointments,  Hernando 
began  to  doubt  if  the  admiral  would  ever  again  be 
restored  to  favor. 

Aside  from  the  fact  that  Ferdinand  may  have 
doubted  the  innocence  of  Columbus  with  respect  to 
some  of  the  charges  brought  against  him,  there  is 
another  important  consideration  which  no  doubt 
had  great  influence  upon  the  king  in  deciding  his 
attitude  toward  Columbus.  Numerous  discoveries 
had  aroused  the  ambition  and  avarice  of  the  monarch 
to  a  wonderful  degree,  and  his  jealousy  was  equally 
inflamed  by  the  competition  of  other  enterprising 
nations,  who  were  seeking  a  share  of  the  golden  world 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  407 

which  he  was  eager  to  monopolize.  The  expeditions 
of  the  English  and  the  Portuguese  caused  him  great 
uneasiness.  To  secure  possession  of  the  New  World, 
it  had  become  necessary  to  establish  local  governments 
in  the  most  important  places,  which  he  determined 
to  put  under  a  central  government  at  San  Domingo. 
This  action  on  the  part  of  the  sovereigns  would  greatly 
increase  the  importance  of  the  concessions  made  to 
Columbus,  and  the  king  had  not  contemplated  giv 
ing  such  co-operation  when  the  government  was 
granted  to  him. 

These  considerations  made  the  restitution  of  his 
powers  all  the  more  desirable  to  Columbus,  but  with 
the  growing  importance  of  the  office  it  became  more 
and  more  a  matter  of  repugnance  to  the  selfish  mon 
arch.  Columbus,  being  of  foreign  birth,  the  King 
may  have  doubted  his  loyalty  and  have  been  reluctant 
on  that  account  to  entrust  him  with  such  an  impor 
tant  command  so  far  away  from  the  parent  country; 
but  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  monarch  regret 
ted  having  made  such  a  poor  bargain  with  one  of 
his  subjects,  and  was  anxious  to  exclude  Columbus 
from  his  high  office  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  bring 
odium  upon  the  crown. 

The  delay  in  restoring  the  admiral  to  his  former 
position  was  excused  on  the  ground  that  his  personal 
safety  might  be  endangered  and  the  government 
thrown  into  confusion  by  his  return,  so  long  as  the 
violent  factions  recently  in  arms  against  him  were 
still  in  existence.  Bobadilla  was  to  be  dismissed  im- 


408  COLUMBIA 

mediately  and  some  officer  of  talent  and  discretion 
was  to  supersede  him  in  command  and  hold  the  gov 
ernment  for  a  period  of  two  years.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  time  Columbus  might  resume  command  with 
safety  to  himself  and  advantage  to  the  crown.  With 
such  excuses  and  the  promises  which  accompanied 
them,  Columbus  was  obliged  to  content  himself. 
That  Isabella  was  acting  in  perfectly  good  faith 
there  is  no  doubt;  but  Ferdinand,  by  his  subsequent 
conduct  toward  Columbus,  has  forfeited  any  claim 
to  so  favorable  an  opinion. 

For  more  than  nine  months  Columbus  stayed  in 
Granada  and  Hernando  remained  at  his  side,  assist 
ing  the  admiral  in  his  endeavors  to  straighten  out  his 
affairs  from  the  chaotic  state  into  which  they  had 
been  thrown  by  the  rash  conduct  of  Bobadilla. 
During  this  time  and  while  he  was  soliciting  the 
restoration  of  his  offices,  Columbus  was  constantly 
smiled  upon  by  the  sovereigns,  and  repeated  promises 
were  made  that  he  should  be  reinstated  as  soon  as 
seemed  expedient.  But  he  had  long  since  learned 
that  great  intervals  may  elapse  between  promise  and 
performance.  Hernando  accepted  these  promises  in 
good  faith  and  remained  constantly  with  the  admiral. 
He  labored  cheerfully  in  the  hope  that  the  day  was 
not  far  distant  when  the  sovereigns  would  restore  the 
admiral  to  his  former  position  and  they  could  return 
in  triumph  to  Hispaniola. 

If  ever  a  spirit  was  supplied  with  food  for  misan 
thropy  it  was  the  spirit  of  Columbus;  but  though  he 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  409 

was  checked  in  one  direction,  his  enthusiasm  broke 
out  afresh  in  another.  In  his  darkest  hours  and  while 
experiencing  the  bitterest  disappointments,  his  mind 
was  filled  with  glorious  speculation.  During  all  his 
leisure  time,  he  searched  the  prophecies  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  for  revelations  that  might  be  construed  to 
bear  upon  the  discovery  of  the  New  World,  the  con 
version  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  recovery  of  the  Holy 
Sepulchre.  He  believed  that  from  his  earliest  infancy 
he  had  been  chosen  by  Heaven  for  the  accomplish 
ment  of  these  great  designs,  and  he  entreated  his 
sovereigns  not  to  reject,  as  extravagant  and  imprac 
ticable,  his  plan  for  rescuing  the  Holy  Sepulchre  nor 
to  heed  the  discredit  that  might  be  cast  upon  the 
undertaking  by  others. 

It  was  this  ambition  that  fired  the  enthusiasm  of 
Columbus  in  his  great  enterprises.  The  great  object 
of  his  life,  and  the  one  to  which  the  profits  accruing 
from  his  discoveries  should  be  dedicated,  was  the 
rescue  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  Such  an  undertaking 
might  be  considered  extravagant  at  the  present  day, 
but  there  was  nothing  preposterous  about  it  when  we 
consider  the  age  in  which  he  labored.  The  spirit  of 
the  Crusades  had  not  yet  passed  away ;  every  cavalier 
was  ready  to  draw  his  sword  in  the  cause  of  the 
Church,  and  religion  mingled  a  glowing  and  devoted 
enthusiasm  with  the  excitement  of  warfare. 

The  weight  of  Columbus'  sixty-five  years  of  life, 
which  had  been  filled  with  care  and  troubles,  was 
beginning  to  break  his  once  powerful  constitution, 


410  COLUMBIA 

but  his  mind  retained  all  its  accustomed  vigor;  and, 
stimulated  by  the  achievement  of  Vasco  de  Gama 
in  doubling  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  he  conceived  a 
grand  project  for  another  voyage  of  exploration. 

The  discovery  of  the  New  World  had  as  yet  brought 
but  little  revenue  to  Spain,  but  the  route  discovered 
by  Vasco  de  Gama  opened  a  way  to  the  vast  riches  of 
the  East  and  immediate  wealth  was  pouring  into 
Portugal.  Columbus  now  conceived  the  idea  of  a 
voyage  which  should  result  in  the  discovery  of  a 
passage  opening  into  the  Indian  sea. 

"Such  an  achievement,  Hernando,"  said  he  again 
and  again,  in  his  wonted  enthusiasm,  "will  surpass  not 
merely  the  discovery  by  Vasco  de  Gama,  but  even 
those  of  our  previous  expeditions.  If  we  can  by  such 
a  discovery  link  the  New  World  with  the  opulent  ori 
ental  regions  of  the  Old,  it  will  make  a  magnificent 
close  to  our  labors  and  consummate  the  one  great 
object  of  my  life." 

"Have  you  laid  these  plans  before  the  sovereigns?" 
inquired  Hernando. 

"No,  but  I  shall  without  delay." 

When  later  he  went  to  the  sovereigns  with  his 
plans,  they  listened  to  him  with  great  attention. 
So  convincingly  did  he  plead  that  his  proposition  was 
immediately  accepted  and  he  was  authorized  to  fit 
out  a  squadron  at  once;  and  in  the  autumn  of  1501 
the  admiral  and  Hernando  repaired  to  Seville  to  make 
the  necessary  preparations. 

The  work  progressed  slowly,  and  to  Hernando, 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  4 1 1 

who  was  daily  growing  more  impatient,  things  seemed 
to  be  at  a  standstill.  When  at  last  the  fleet  was  ready 
for  sea,  Columbus  sought  permission  to  touch  at  His- 
paniola,  but  this  privilege  was  denied  him  by  the 
sovereigns,  except  on  the  return  voyage. 

"This  will  be  a  cruel  blow  to  Hernando,"  said 
Columbus  to  himself.  "He  has  labored  with  the  hope 
of  joining  Christina  constantly  before  him";  and 
for  a  time  Columbus  was  greatly  perplexed  as  to 
how  he  should  announce  this  unpleasant  news  to 
Hernando. 

"The  sovereigns  have  forbade  our  stopping  at 
Hispaniola  for  supplies,"  was  the  explanation  given 
by  Columbus  to  Don  Bartholomew  for  the  necessity 
of  taking  a  larger  supply  of  provisions  than  was 
originally  contemplated.  When  the  admiral  spoke 
he  did  not  see  Hernando  standing  near  enough  to 
hear  him;  but  the  expression  on  the  boy's  face  indi 
cated  plainer  than  words  that  he  had  overheard  the 
remark.  For  some  moments  no  one  spoke.  Their 
silence  seemed  to  be  more  expressive  of  their  sym 
pathy  for  Hernando. 

"I  am  sorry,  Hernando,  that  I  did  not  receive  this 
command  in  time  for  you  to  sail  with  Ovando." 

"Does  the  admiral  believe  I  would  desert  the 
cause  at  the  last  moment?"  answered  the  youth,  in  a 
tone  that  showed  that  his  feelings  had  been  wounded. 

"It  could  not  have  been  considered  desertion,  my 
faithful  friend,"  responded  the  admiral  tenderly, 
"I  have  Don  Bartholomew  and  my  sons  to  assist  me. 


412  COLUMBIA 

You  must  sometimes  think  of  yourself;  and,  besides, 
there  are  others  depending  upon  you." 

"But  to  you,  my  lord  admiral,  I  owe  my  life." 

"That  debt,  Hernando,  has  been  paid  a  thousand 
times  by  your  loyal  service,"  answered  Columbus. 

This  conversation  took  place  on  the  8th  of  May, 
1502,  after  all  preparations  had  been  made  for  the 
voyage.  The  next  day  the  fleet  sailed  from  Cadiz  on 
the  fourth  and  last  voyage  of  discovery.  The  little 
squadron  swept  steadily  on  its  course  over  a  favor 
able  sea,  without  shifting  a  sail,  and  arrived  about 
the  middle  of  June  at  one  of  the  Caribbee  Islands, 
called  by  the  natives  Mantinino.  Three  days  were 
spent  here,  to  allow  the  seamen  to  wash  their  clothes. 
After  taking  in  wood  and  water,  they  again  put  to  sea. 
Shortly  after  they  had  left  Mantinino,  Columbus 
called  Hernando  to  his  cabin  and  announced  his 
intentions  to  sail  to  San  Domingo,  contrary  to  the 
instructions  of  the  sovereigns. 

"Our  principal  vessel  has  sailed  extremely  ill  and 
has  constantly  delayed  the  rest  of  the  squadron. 
We  will  exchange  it  for  one  of  the  fleet  which  recently 
conveyed  Ovando  to  San  Domingo." 

Hernando  could  not  conceal  the  joy  it  gave  him 
to  learn  that  he  was  so  soon  to  see  Christina.  The 
expression  of  his  face  showed  that  he  had  not  been 
as  happy  since  that  day,  so  long  ago,  when  the 
admiral  gave  permission  for  him  to  sail  on  the  first 
voyage  of  discovery. 

"There  can  be  no  blame  for  departing  from  orders 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  413 

in  a  case  of  such  importance,"  replied  Hernando; 
but  he  could  hardly  be  expected  to  give  an  unpreju 
diced  opinion  in  a  matter  of  such  consequence  to  him 
self. 

Don  Nicholas  de  Ovando,  a  favorite  of  Ferdinand 
and  a  native  subject  of  rank,  had  been  chosen  to 
supersede  Bobadilla.  Las  Casas  describes  him  as 
"  a  man  of  great  prudence,  capable  of  governing  many 
people,  but  not  of  governing  the  Indians,  on  whom 
he  inflicted  incalculable  injustice.  He  possessed 
great  veneration  for  justice,  was  an  enemy  to  avarice, 
and  sober  in  his  mode  of  living."  Such  is  the  picture 
drawn  of  him  by  a  contemporary  historian,  but  his 
conduct  hi  many  instances  is  hi  direct  contradiction 
to  it;  in  fact,  the  seven  years  of  his  administration 
in  Hispaniola  were  so  full  of  atrocities  that  one  can 
hardly  read  his  name  without  a  feeling  of  horror. 
His  attitude  toward  Columbus  was  certainly  ungen 
erous  and  unjust. 

The  fleet  conveying  Ovando  to  San  Domingo  con 
sisted  of  thirty  ships,  the  largest  that  had  yet  sailed 
to  the  New  World,  and  departed  from  Spain  about 
three  months  before  Columbus  sailed  on  his  last 
voyage  of  discovery. 

When  the  admiral  arrived  in  the  harbor  of  San 
Domingo,  he  found  ready  for  sea  the  fleet  which 
brought  out  Ovando.  He  immediately  sent  ashore 
Hernando  and  the  captain  of  one  of  the  caravels  to 
wait  on  the  governor  and  explain  that  his  purpose 
in  coming  was  to  procure  a  vessel  in  exchange  for  one 


414  COLUMBIA 

of  his  caravels,  which  threatened  soon  to  become 
unseaworthy. 

When  Hernando  returned  to  report  to  Columbus 
he  was  full  of  grief  and  indignation. 

"My  lord  admiral,  Ovando  refuses  your  request 
and  further  orders  you  to  depart  at  once." 

The  real  greatness  of  Columbus  never  loomed  up 
in  such  proportions  as  when  contrasted  with  the  petty 
tyranny  of  men  like  Ovando,  who  sought  to  subject 
him  to  every  possible  humiliation.  Even  after  he 
had  been  denied  the  hospitality  of  the  city  he  had 
founded,  he  was  solicitous  of  his  enemies'  safety. 
His  practiced  eye  had  detected  an  approaching  storm 
and  he  sought  to  avert  the  danger  to  the  fleet  which 
was  about  to  sail. 

"Return  to  the  governor,  Hernando,  and  warn 
him  of  the  impending  tempest.  Entreat  him  not  to 
permit  the  fleet  to  put  to  sea  for  several  days." 

This  time  Hernando  was  ridiculed  as  the  represent 
ative  of  a  false  prophet.  The  weather  to  a  less 
experienced  eye  was  favorable,  and  the  pilots  and 
seamen  scoffed  at  the  prediction  of  the  admiral. 
Hernando  was  denied  permission  to  visit  his  father; 
and  worse  than  all,  was  obliged  to  return  to  the 
squadron  without  learning  anything  of  the  where 
abouts  of  Christina  —  uncertain,  even,  but  that  she, 
finding  him  absent,  was  about  to  return  to  Spain  with 
the  fleet  then  making  preparations  to  depart.  His 
disappointment  was  terrible  —  the  more  so  because 
of  his  recently  kindled  hope  of  seeing  Christina  with- 


TEMPEST-TOSSED  415 

out  delay  —  but  the  brave  youth  bore  it  silently,  and 
in  his  report  to  the  admiral  did  not  even  mention  the 
ridicule  experienced  as  his  representative.  Only  in 
the  solitude  of  the  night  did  he  permit  himself  the 
luxury  of  grief.  A  heart  less  courageous,  a  soul  of 
baser  metal,  must  needs  have  despaired.  An  unkind 
fate  seemed  to  oppose  his  every  effort  to  join  Chris 
tina.  Unable  to  communicate  with  her  in  any  way, 
to  assure  her  of  his  unchanging  affection,  he  was  tor 
tured  by  all  manner  of  doubts  concerning  her  faith  in 
him.  Knowing  well  the  wild  and  lawless  state  of 
affairs  that  existed  in  San  Domingo,  he  groaned  at 
the  thought  that  he,  her  only  natural  protector,  could 
not  be  at  her  side  to  shield  her  from  harm. 

"Shall  I  never  see  you  again,  little  Christina?" 
he  thought.  "May  I  never  bring  you  the  happiness 
that  will  blot  from  your  memory  these  cruel  years  of 
separation?" 

At  last,  worn  out  by  the  violence  of  his  emotions, 
he  fell  asleep. 

The  crew  murmured  loudly  at  being  shut  out  from 
a  port  of  their  own  nation,  when  even  strangers,  under 
similar  circumstances,  would  be  admitted;  but  the 
admiral  was  uncomplaining,  nor  did  Hernando  rail 
at  his  fate. 

Columbus  kept  his  squadron  close  to  shore,  and 
sought  for  safe  anchorage  in  some  wild  bay  of  the 
island  until  after  the  storm  which  he  knew  was  cer 
tainly  coming.  In  the  meantime,  the  fleet,  with 
Bobadilla  in  command,  sailed  from  San  Domingo. 


416  COLUMBIA 

Within  two  days  after  they  stood  confidently  out  to 
sea  the  predictions  of  Columbus  were  verified.  The 
fleet  had  scarcely  reached  the  eastern  point  of  His- 
paniola  when  a  tremendous  hurricane  swept  over  it 
with  awful  fury,  involving  everything  in  wreck.  The 
ship  which  carried  Bobadilla,  Roldan,  and  a  number 
of  the  enemies  of  Columbus,  was  swallowed  up  with 
all  its  crew.  Most  of  the  ships  were  entirely  lost, 
some  returned  in  a  shattered  condition  to  San  Do 
mingo,  and  only  one  was  able  to  continue  her  voyage 
to  Spain.  That  one  —  the  weakest  of  the  fleet  — 
had  on  board  four  thousand  pieces  of  gold,  the  prop 
erty  of  Columbus. 

"We  will  not  inquire  now,"  said  Las  Casas,  who 
witnessed  the  destruction  of  the  fleet,  "into  this 
remarkable  divine  judgment,  for  at  the  last  day  of  the 
world  it  will  be  made  quite  clear  to  us."  Such  an 
instance  of  poetic  justice  is  not  often  seen  in  this 
world.  If  such  judgments  were  more  frequent,  per 
haps  the  ways  of  Providence  would  not  have  come  so 
generally  to  be  looked  upon  as  inscrutable. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SHIPWRECKED. 

AFTER  the  tempest  which  sent  Bobadilla  and 
his  fleet  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  Columbus  put 
to  sea,  but  had  scarcely  left  the  harbor  in  which  he 
had  taken  refuge  when  he  was  compelled  to  seek 
shelter  from  another  storm.  Altogether,  two  weeks 
or  a  little  more  were  lost  after  his  arrival  in  the  harbor 
of  San  Domingo  on  the  29th  of  June,  1502.  During 
this  time,  however,  he  had  repaired  his  vessels  and  the 
crew  had  refreshed  themselves  and  were  prepared 
to  continue  the  voyage  of  discovery. 

On  the  30th  of  July,  he  discovered  an  island  a  few 
leagues  off  the  coast  of  Honduras,  to  the  east  of  the 
gulf  of  that  name.  This  island,  which  was  called  by 
the  Indians  Guanaja,  still  retains  that  name;  and 
in  later  years  has  been  extended  to  include  a  group  of 
smaller  islands  surrounding  it. 

Don  Bartholomew  and  Hernando,  with  two 
launches  full  of  sailors,  landed  on  one  of  the  princi 
pal  islands,  which  they  found  to  be  extremely  fertile. 
While  they  were  on  shore,  Hernando  beheld  a  great 
canoe,  arriving  as  from  a  distant  voyage.  He  was 
^.nazed  at  the  size  of  the  boat  and  cried  out  to 
Don  Bartholomew,  "Behold  the  gondola!"  The 

Vol.  1—27  417 


418   ,  COLUMBIA 

boat  was  eight  feet  wide  and  as  long  as  a  galley.  It 
had  been  made  from  the  trunk  of  a  single  tree  and 
was  built  after  the  manner  of  the  gondolas  of  Venice. 
The  canopy  in  the  center  of  the  canoe,  under  which 
sat  a  cacique  and  his  family,  was  constructed  of 
palm  leaves  and  was  sufficiently  close  to  exclude 
both  sun  and  rain.  Twenty-five  Indians  rowed  the 
boat,  and  later  when  they  came  alongside  the  ad 
miral's  caravel,  the  Spaniards  discovered,  to  their 
great  delight,  that  the  canoe  was  filled  with  all  sorts 
of  manufactured  articles  and  natural  products  of 
the  adjacent  country.  These  natives  had  a  more 
developed  sense  of  modesty  than  any  that  had  yet 
been  discovered.  The  women  wore  mantles,  in 
which  they  wrapped  themselves  like  the  Moorish 
women  of  Spain,  and  the  men  wore  cloths  of  cotton 
round  their  loins. 

Columbus  examined  with  great  curiosity  and  in 
terest  the  contents  of  the  canoe,  and  was  astonished 
to  find  manufactured  articles  of  copper,  and  utensils 
neatly  formed  of  clay,  marble,  and  of  hard  wood. 
These  indications  he  accepted  as  evidence  that  they 
were  approaching  more  civilized  lands. 

It  is  supposed  that  these  natives  had  come  from 
Yucatan.  The  Spaniards  endeavored  to  learn  the 
particulars  of  their  country,  but  as  the  interpreter 
who  accompanied  the  fleet  spoke  a  different  lan 
guage,  they  could  understand  the  Indians  but  im 
perfectly. 

"These  natives  seem  to  be  trying  to  impress  us  with 


75-  60 


1492  TO  1506, 

HOW  MUCH  of  THE New 
WORLO  MAO  BE£N  DISCOVERED  l/P 
TO  THE  DEATH  OF,  COLUMBUS, 
THE:  CONCLUSION  OF  THIS 

BOOft    A. D.  /SO6. 

OK-AWN    fOfT 


/o 


SHIPWRECKED  419 

the  wealth  and  magnificence  of  their  country,"  said 
Hernando. 

"They  have  undoubtedly  come  from  some  rich, 
cultivated  country  to  the  west,"  Columbus  replied. 

"Will  it  not  be  well  to  follow  their  advice  and 
steer  in  that  direction?" 

But  the  admiral's  whole  mind  was  filled  with  the 
idea  of  discovering  a  passage  leading  into  the  Indian 
Ocean,  and  he  answered,  "At  some  future  time  we 
can  visit  their  country." 

Had  he  followed  the  advice  of  the  natives,  he  would 
have  arrived,  within  a  day  or  two,  at  Yucatan;  the 
discovery  of  Mexico  would  have  necessarily  followed; 
the  Pacific  Ocean  would  probably  have  been  dis 
closed  to  him;  and  these  and  other  splendid  discov 
eries  would  have  shed  fresh  glory  on  his  declining 
years. 

On  leaving  the  island  of  Guanaja,  Columbus  stood 
southwardly  for  the  mainland  and  after  sailing  a  few 
leagues,  discovered  a  point  of  land  now  known  as 
Cape  Honduras.  On  Sunday,  the  14th  of  August, 
Don  Bartholomew  landed  here,  with  the  captains  of 
the  caravels  and  many  of  the  seamen,  to  celebrate 
mass,  under  the  trees  on  the  seashore,  according  to 
the  pious  custom  of  the  admiral.  From  here  they 
proceeded  with  great  difficulty  along  the  coast  of 
Honduras.  For  upwards  of  sixty  days  they  ex 
perienced  the  same  stormy  weather  that  had  de 
tained  them  on  the  coast  of  Hispaniola.  There  was 
almost  incessant  tempest,  with  heavy  rains,  and  such 


420  COLUMBIA 

thunder  and  lightning  that  it  seemed  as  if  the  end  of 
the  world  were  at  hand. 

During  this  time  Columbus  suffered  extremely 
from  gout;  but  that  his  serious  illness  might  not 
prevent  him  from  attending  to  his  duties,  he  had  a 
small  cabin  constructed  on  the  stern.  Here  he 
was  constantly  attended  by  his  faithful  compan 
ion,  Hernando,  and  though  confined  to  his  bed, 
he  kept  a  lookout  and  regulated  the  sailing  of  the 
ships. 

"We  have  seen  many  tempests,  Hernando,"  he 
said,  "but  none  so  violent  or  of  such  long  duration. 
I  am  anxious  about  Don  Bartholomew,  whom  I  per 
suaded  against  his  will  to  come  on  this  expedition. 
His  vessel  is  the  weakest  of  the  squadron.  I  am 
constantly  distressed,  too,  at  the  exposures  which 
my  son  has  endured." 

"It  is  this  anxiety  that  aggravates  your  own 
malady.  Fernando  is  bearing  the  hardships  with 
the  courage  of  a  veteran.  My  lord  admiral  must 
seek  repose  of  mind,  as  well  as  of  body." 

"You  are  brave,  Hernando.  I  would  gladly  have 
spared  you  the  hardships  and  perils  of  this  expedition." 
After  a  moment's  interruption,  caused  by  violent 
pain,  Columbus  continued,  "You  share  our  disap 
pointments  and  nurse  your  own  heartaches  uncom 
plainingly.  While  the  crew  is  murmuring  against 
any  further  prosecution  of  the  voyage,  you  are  ever 
at  your  post,  eager  to  press  on." 

Such  praise  from  the  master  he  loved  filled  Her- 


SHIPWRECKED 


421 


nando  with  an  emotion  too  deep  for  words,  and  he 
could  make  no  reply. 

After  struggling  for  upwards  of  forty  days,  during 
which  time  they  had  made  only  seventy  leagues, 
they  arrived  on  the  14th  of  September  at  a  point 
where  the  coast  makes  a  turn  directly  south,  along 


what  is  now  called  'the  Mosquito 
shore. .  After  doubling  this  cape, 
they  enjoyed  an  easy  wind  and  free 
navigation,  and  swept  on  with  flowing  sails  and  hearts 
filled  with  joy.  To  commemorate  this  sudden  relief 
from  peril,  the  admiral  gave  to  the  cape  the  name  of 
Gracias  a  Dios,  which  signifies  Thanks  to  God. 

Early  in  October  the  squadron  sailed  along  what 
is  now  known  as  Costa  Rica,  or  Gold  Coast,  so  named 
from  the  gold  and  silver  mines  afterward  found  in  the 
mountains  of  that  region.  Here,  for  the  first  time, 
the  Spaniards  found  specimens  of  pure  gold,  which 
the  natives  were  wearing  in  the  form  of  large  plates 
suspended  round  their  necks.  The  cupidity  of 
the  crew  was  greatly  excited,  but  Columbus  pressed 


422 


COLUMBIA 


on  in  quest  of  the  great  object  of  the  expedition, 
anchoring  on  the  2d  of  November  in  an  excellent 
harbor,  which,  from  the  sweetness  and  beauty  of  the 
surrounding  country,  he  called  Puerto  Bello.  This 
place  marks,  lacking  a  few  leagues,  the  extreme 
southern  point  reached  by  Columbus  on  his  fourth 
voyage  of  discovery.  The  squad 
ron  was  detained  here  for  a  week, 


ALONG  THE  GOLD  COAST. 

by  heavy  rain  and  adverse  winds,  after  which  they 
sailed  eastward  for  a  distance  of  eight  leagues. 
The  continued  stormy  weather  disheartened  the 
members  of  the  crew,  who  were  disappointed  at  not 
being  allowed  to  explore  the  rich  coast  they  had  left 
behind.  At  last  Columbus  was  persuaded  to  relin- 


SHIPWRECKED  423 

quish  the  further  prosecution  of  the  voyage  and  they 
returned  to  the  coast  of  Veragua  to  search  for  gold. 

"  It  is  our  last  opportunity  to  silence  the  reproaches 
of  our  enemies  in  Spain,"  remarked  the  admiral 
pathetically. 

He  had  endured  untold  hardships  in  the  pursuit  of 
this  last  great  undertaking.  He  had  been  disap 
pointed  in  his  expectation  of  finding  a  strait  through 
what  is  at  present  known  as  the  Isthmus  of  Darien; 
but  it  was  because  Nature  herself  had  been  disap 
pointed.  For  does  it  not  appear  that  she  attempted 
to  make  a  passage  there? 

In  the  voyage  from  Puerto  Bello  to  Veragua,  a 
distance  of  about  thirty  leagues,  they  were  blown 
and  tossed  about  for  nearly  a  month,  in  such  a  man 
ner  as  to  baffle  all  seamanship.  Nearly  all  their  pro 
visions  had  been  consumed,  and  those  which 
remained  were  damaged  by  the  leakage  of  the  ships. 
Their  biscuit  was  so  filled  with  worms  that  the  men 
could  satisfy  their  hunger  only  by  eating  in  the  dark. 
With  his  accustomed  activity,  Don  Bartholomew 
explored  the  surrounding  country.  The  natives 
seemed  unwilling  to  give  any  information  about  the 
gold  mines,  but  the  Spaniards  were  convinced  from 
what  they  saw  and  heard  that  the  various  accounts  of 
the  wealth  of  Veragua  were  correct.  They  secured 
twenty  plates  of  gold  and  other  articles  of  the  same 
precious  metal,  in  exchange  for  the  veriest  trifles. 
The  Indians  informed  them  that  the  mines  lay  among 
distant  mountains.  Don  Bartholomew  was  induced 


424  COLUMBIA 

by  these  reports  to  ascend  the  river  Veragua,  and  the 
reports  which  he  brought  from  the  interior  led  Colum 
bus  to  believe  that  he  had  at  last  reached  the  fountain 
head  of  riches,  those  regions  of  the  Asiatic  continent 
which  had  been  the  source  of  the  unbounded  wealth 
of  King  Solomon. 

"I  shall  report  to  the  sovereigns  that  we  have  seen 
more  indications  of  gold  within  two  days  after  our 
arrival  in  this  country  than  during  four  years  in 
Hispaniola,"  remarked  the  admiral,  with  his  usual 
enthusiasm,  after  he  had  listened  eagerly  to  Don 
Bartholomew's  report  of  the  regions  of  unappro 
priated  wealth,  twenty  days'  journey  in  extent, 
which  he  found  in  his  ascent  of  the  Veragua. 

"Here  is  a  good  place  to  found  a  colony,"  suggested 
Hernando. 

"We  will  establish  a  mart  that  shall  become  the 
emporium  of  a  vast  tract,"  said  the  admiral,  and 
continued  eloquently: 

"Hispaniola,  the  object  of  our  pride  and  hopes, 
has  been  taken  from  us;  the  pearl  coast  of  Paria  is 
being  ravaged  by  favored  adventurers;  but  here 
is  a  region  more  favored  than  either.  It  will  afford 
us  some  consolation  for  the  wrongs  we  have  suffered." 

It  was  agreed  that  Don  Bartholomew  should 
remain  with  a  force  of  eighty  selected  men,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  possession  of  the  country  and  work 
ing  the  mines;  while  the  admiral  should  return  to 
Spain  for  reinforcements  and  'supplies.  Final  ar 
rangements  were  made  for  the  management  of  the 


SHIPWRECKED  425 

colony,  and  the  admiral  took  an  affectionate  leave 
of  his  brother  and  got  under  way  with  three  of  the 
caravels,  leaving  the  fourth  for  the  use  of  the  colony. 
It  was  his  intention  to  touch  at  Hispaniola  on  his 
way  home  and  send  supplies  and  reinforcements 
from  there  for  the  aid  of  the  colony.  Hernando  was 
to  accompany  the  admiral  as  far  as  San  Domingo 
and  there  remain;  and  once  more  he  was  jubilant 
at  the  prospect  of  seeing  Christina  and  gathering 
under  his  own  roof  the  scattered  remnant  of  his 
family.  Soon  they  would  be  together  again,  and 
the  meeting  would  be  all  the  sweeter  for  the  many 
weary  years  of  separation.  He  promised  himself  that 
the  love  and  devotion  which  he  would  shower  upon 
Christina  should  be  sufficient  to  compensate  her  for 
all  that  she  had  endured  for  the  sake  of  his  vanished 
ambition.  Only  one  thought  disturbed  his  peace 
of  mind  —  he  could  not  rid  himself  of  the  fear  that 
Christina  had  sailed  for  Spain  with  the  fleet  under 
Bobadilla's  command,  and  had  possibly  perished 
in  the  storm  which  wrecked  most  of  the  crew. 

The  admiral  was  compelled  to  anchor  a  league 
from  shore  and  await  a  favorable  wind,  and  before 
his  departure  disastrous  tidings  from  the  settlement 
were  received,  which  filled  his  heart  with  grief  and 
alarm.  Hostile  natives  had  surprised  the  colony 
and  taken  the  Spaniards  completely  off  their  guard. 
One  man  had  been  killed  and  eight  wounded  in  the 
conflict.  Among  the  latter  was  Don  Bartholomew 
who  received  a  slight  thrust  of  a  javelin  in  the  breast. 


426  COLUMBIA 

The  colonists  insisted  on  following  the  admiral  in 
the  caravel  left  for  their  use,  and  the  remonstrances 
of  Don  Bartholomew  were  in  vain;  but  finding  the 
vessel  landlocked  they  were  in  a  state  of  mutiny. 
There  was  no  alternative  for  Columbus  but  to  take 
all  of  them  with  him  and  abandon  the  settlement 
temporarily. 

Toward  the  end  of  April,  1503,  Columbus  left  the 
disastrous  coast  of  Veragua,  but  he  had  not  pro 
ceeded  far  when  he  was  obliged  to  leave  one  of  his 
caravels,  it  being  so  eaten  by  worms  that  it  was  im 
possible  to  keep  it  afloat.  All  the  men  were  now 
crowded  into  two  caravels. 

The  violent  weather  encountered  on  the  voyage 
is  best  described  by  the  admiral's  own  words,  that  it 
seemed  "as  if  the  world  would  dissolve."  He  strug 
gled  against  contrary  winds  and  the  usual  currents 
from  the  east,  and  made  repeated  endeavors  to  beat 
up  to  Hispaniola;  but  every  effort  was  in  vain.  In 
despair  the  admiral  at  last  headed  for  the  island  of 
Jamaica,  to  seek  some  safe  port,  for  there  was  immi 
nent  danger  of  foundering  at  sea.  At  last  he  was 
compelled  to  give  up  the  long  and  arduous  struggle 
against  the  persecution  of  the  elements,  but  not  until 
his  ships  had  been  reduced  to  mere  wrecks  and  could 
no  longer  be  kept  afloat.  The  caravels  were  run 
aground  in  the  harbor  to  which  he  had  given  the  name 
of  Port  Santa  Gloria  on  the  occasion  of  his  first  visit 
to  the  island  of  Jamaica. 

Shipwrecked  on  the  shores  of   a  savage  island,  in 


SHIPWRECKED  427 

an  unfrequented  sea,  we  leave  the  reader  to  imagine 
Hernando's  feelings.  He  had  struggled  bravely  for 
years  in  pursuit  of  an  object,  which  again  and  again 
had  seemed  to  be  just  within  his  reach;  but  ever  it 
had  vanished  ere  he  could  put  out  his  hand  and  grasp 
it.  Happiness  seemed  to  him  a  mere  will  o'  the  wisp, 
as  uncertain  as  life  itself. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

TO    THE    RESCUE. 

IT  was  a  distance  of  over  two  hundred  leagues  to 
San  Domingo.  The  islands  of  Jamaica  and  Hispan- 
.iola  are  separated  by  a  gulf  forty  leagues  wide, 
swept  by  contrary  currents.  The  rest  of  the  way  lay 
along  the  coast  of  a  savage  country,  and  one  under 
taking  the  journey  would  be  subject  to  perils  both 
by  land  and  sea.  The  light  canoe  of  the  Indian  was 
the  only  means  of  transporting  a  messenger  to  Ovan- 
do.  Who  would  think  of  undertaking  so  hazardous 
a  voyage  in  such  a  frail  bark?  There  was  scarcely 
one  chance  in  a  thousand  for  success.  To  have  com 
manded  any  one  to  attempt  it  would  have  been  almost 
equivalent  to  committing  murder. 

Foraging  expeditions  had  been  sent  out  among  the 
natives  of  the  island,  and  the  immediate  wants  of 
the  Spaniards  were  provided  for,  but  the  admiral 
knew  the  Indians  could  not  be  depended  upon  for  aid 
and  he  was  without  means  of  compelling  them  to 
furnish  his  people  with  provisions.  It  was  neces 
sary  therefore  to  find  some  means  of  communicating 
with  Ovando.  Columbus  was  greatly  distressed 
and  spent  much  time  deliberating  upon  the  most 
practicable  means  of  sending  notice  of  his  situation 
428 


TO  THE  RESCUE  429 

to  the  governor  at  San  Domingo.  Qne  evening  while 
he  was  thus  engaged  in  deep  thought,  Hernando  came 
upon  him  alone. 

"My  lord  admiral,  we  are  in  a  perilous  situation," 
said  Hernando,  who  knew  the  thoughts  which  were 
absorbing  the  admiral's  mind. 

"Only  a  few  realize,  Hernando,  in  how  great  peril 
we  are  placed." 

For  a  few  moments  there  was  absolute  silence, 
which  at  length  was  broken  by  Hernando. 


-     "  THE  COAST  or  A  SAVAGE  COUNTRY." 


'Admiral,  I  have  a  plan,  wrhich  if  it  meefs  with 
your  favor,  may  deliver  us  all  from  our  present 
dangers." 

The  admiral  looked  up,  his  face  troubled,  as  if 
anticipating  the  rash  offer  Hernando  was  about  to 
make. 

"The  only  means  we  have  of  reaching  Hispaniola  is 
by  canoe,"  continued  Hernando,  "and  such  an  under 
taking  is  not  only  difficult  — 

"But  impossible,"  interrupted  Columbus.  "It 
would  be  necessary  to  traverse  a  gulf  forty  leagues 
wide,  passing  between  islands  where  the  sea  is  ex 
tremely  wild  and  dangerous."  In  so  forbidding  a 


430  COLUMBIA 

tone  did  the  admiral  speak  that  Hernando  hesitated 
to  proceed  with  the  plan  he  was  about  to  propose  ; 
and  before  he  could  collect  himself,  the  admiral  fin 
ished,  "No  one  would  venture  upon  an  undertaking 
so  extremely  perilous." 

Hernando,  who  had  regained  his  self-possession, 
replied  quickly: 

"Admiral,  my  life  has  many  times  been  placed  in 

peril  of  death.    God  hath  hitherto  preserved  me  in 

a  miraculous  manner  and  he  will  not  desert  us  now. 

It  is  the  only  means  of  salvation  for  the  expedition 

—  and  my  only  hope  of  joining  Christina." 

Columbus  felt  instinctively  that  the  youth  had 
determined  upon  this  desperate  enterprise  and  that 
nothing  could  be  gained  by  direct  opposition  to  his 
plans.  He  did  not  attempt,  therefore,  to  openly  dis 
suade  him,  but  decided  on  a  more  diplomatic  course 
to  accomplish  the  same  end.  After  a  moment's 
hesitation,  the  admiral  replied: 

"Hernando,  there  are  certain  murmurers  in  the 
expedition,  who  say  that  you  and  Don  Bartholomew 
are  entrusted  with  all  affairs  where  honor  is  to  be 
gained.  I  beg,  therefore,  that  you  do  not  add  to  my 
present  embarrassment.  Wait  until  I  can  summon 
all  the  people  and  propose  this  enterprise  publicly, 
to  see  if  among  them  there  is  one  who  will  undertake 
it.  If  all  decline,  you  may  then  come  forward  and 
risk  your  life,  with  my  permission." 

Hernando  knew  that  certain  members  of  the  crew 
regarded  him  with  great  jealousy,  and  he  readily 


TO  THE  RESCUE  431 

assented  to  the  admiral's  proposal,  but  continued 
his  preparations  for  the  departure. 

Columbus  could  not  bring  himself  to  allow  the 
youth  he  loved  to  so  risk  his  life,  and  he  felt,  more 
over,  that  if  any  one  attempted  such  a  perilous  jour 
ney,  the  lot  should  fall  to  some  older  member  of  the 
crew  —  a  veteran,  and  not  a  mere  youth.  While 
discussing  the  project  with  Hernando,  Columbus  was 
running  over  in  his  mind  the  different  members  of 
the  crew,  and  finally  decided  to  approach  Diego 
Mendez,  a  man  whom  he  esteemed  highly  for  his 
loyalty  and  courage,  and  persuade  him  to  volunteer 
his  services.  Accordingly,  he  at  once  sought  Diego 
Mendez  and  found  him  willing,  even  eager,  to  under 
take  the  journey;  and  arrangements  were  made  for 
him  to  offer  his  services  at  the  appointed  time. 

Accordingly,  the  next  day  the  crew  was  assem 
bled  by  order  of  the  admiral,  who  was  confident  that 
Hernando  would  not  be  given  an  opportunity  to  risk 
his  life  in  this  way.  When  the  proposition  was 
made,  there  was  a  moment's  silence.  Hernando  was 
just  on  the  point  of  speaking,  when  Diego  Mendez 
stepped  forward  and  said,  "Your  excellency,  I  have 
but  one  life  to  lose,  yet  I  am  willing  to  risk  it  in 
your  service  and  for  the  good  of  all  here  present." 

Columbus  embraced  his  zealous  follower,  immeas 
urably  relieved  at  Hernando's  escape,  and  immediate 
preparations  were  made  for  the  expedition.  The 
boat,  which  was  an  Indian  canoe,  was  furnished  with 
a  mast  and  a  sail,  and  when  provisions  were  put  in, 


432  COLUMBIA 

there  remained  sufficient  room  for  six  Indians,  Diego 
Mendez,  and  a  Spanish  comrade.  That  Spanish  com 
rade  was  —  Hernando  Estevan,  who  had  secretly 
determined  to  accompany  Mendez. 

Quite  unprepared  for  this  turn  of  affairs,  Columbus 
protested  and  tried  to  dissuade  Hernando  —  but  in 
vain.  Hernando  listened  patiently  to  all  the  ad 
miral  said,  and  then  replied: 

"My  lord  admiral,  the  pain  of  your  displeasure 
robs  me  of  the  pleasure  of  risking  my  life  to  save  you 
and  my  comrades  here;  but  even  that  cannot  deter 
me.  Do  not  let  me  depart  without  your  blessing. 
Consider  that  we  go  to  seek  relief  from  an  unfriendly 
governor,  who  would  gladly  leave  you  here  to  perish 
if  he  thought  by  such  means  he  could  be  rid  of  you. 
It  is  better,  anyway,  that. two  of  us  should  go;  then, 
if  either  fails,  our  undertaking  will  not  be  altogether 
defeated.  None  has  served  you  with  greater  loyalty 
than  I;  perhaps  that  loyalty  will  help  me  to  succeed 
where  an  older  man  would  not.  Give  the  message 
to  Diego  Mendez,  and  if  he  fails  to  secure  aid  from  the 
governor,  I  shall,  as  a  last  resort,  seek  to  raise  an 
expedition  privately  and  come  to  your  rescue." 

Columbus,  seeing  that  protests  were  unavailing, 
gave  a  reluctant  consent  and  the  blessing  Hernando 
besought.  From  the  depths  of  his  heart  went  up  a 
prayer  that  God  would  guard  and  direct  the  brave 
youth  whom  he  loved  so  well. 

When  everything  was  in  readiness,  they  departed 
along  the  coast  to  the  eastward.  The  voyage  was 


TO  THE  RESCUE  433 

toilsome  and  perilous,  but  they  made  their  way 
against  strong  currents  and  at  length  arrived  at  the 
eastern  end  of  the  island,  a  distance  of  thirty-four 
leagues  from  the  harbor.  While  waiting  here  for  calmer 
weather  before  striking  out  boldly  into  the  open  sea, 
they  were  captured  by  a  band  of  hostile  Indians, 
who  carried  them  a  distance  of  three  leagues  into  the 
interior,  determined  to  kill  them.  Some  dispute 
arose  over  the  division  of  the  spoils  taken  from  the 
prisoners,  which  they  decided  to  settle  by  casting 
lots.  While  they  were  thus  engaged,  Diego  Mendez 
escaped,  found  his  way  to  the  canoe,  embarked  in  it, 
and  returned  to  the  harbor  alone,  after  an  absence 
of  fifteen  days.  He  reported  at  once  to  the  admiral, 
and  manifested  great  distress  at  being  obliged  to 
leave  Hernando  to  his  fate.  "But,"  said  he,  "I 
knew  I  could  help  neither  him  nor  my  shipwrecked 
comrades  by  remaining  there,  and  I  felt  that  if  I 
returned  to  you,  I  might  succeed  in  a  second  attempt 
to  secure  aid  for  our  party.  Hernando  himself  would 
have  bade  me  go." 

Columbus'  grief  at  the  almost  certain  death  of 
his  friend  was  pitiful  —  though  he  could  not  but  hope 
against  hope  for  Hernando's  escape,  and  did  not 
give  him  up  for  lost  for  several  days,  during  which 
time  his  appearance  was  daily  expected.  But  as 
the  days  wore  on  and  brought  no  sign  of  the  youth, 
Columbus  was  finally  compelled  to  give  up  hope  and 
mourned  as  dead  his  faithful  friend. 

After    his    companion    escaped,    Hernando    was 

Vol.  1—28 


434  COLUMBIA 

guarded  more  closely  by  the  Indians  and  as  he  had 
been  carried  still  farther  into  the  interior,  he  had 
little  hope  of  finding  his  way  back  to  the  harbor, 
even  if  he  should  escape.  After  many  weary  weeks 
of  captivity,  the  time  was  finally  set  for  his  death, 
and  on  the  night  before  the  Indians  were  cele 
brating  the  occasion  with  a  weird  dance  about  a 
great  fire. 

Even  then  Hernando  did  not  despair,  but  only 
sought  the  harder  to  contrive  some  way  to  outwit 
his  captors.  Providentially,  almost,  he  noticed  that 
a  little  shadow  was  slowly,  steadily  creeping  across 
the  face  of  the  moon,  and  he  remembered  that  Colum 
bus  had  said  that  a  total  eclipse  was  due  to  occur  soon. 
As  if  by  inspiration  came  the  thought  that  he  might 
use  this  strange  phenomenon  of  Nature  to  frighten  his 
superstitious  captors  into  letting  him  go.  He  sent  for 
the  cacique  and  told  him  that  he  was  a  worshiper  of 
a  God  dwelling  in  the  skies,  who  rewarded  all  who  did 
well  and  punished  all  transgressors.  This  great  Deity, 
he  said,  was  incensed  against  the  Indians  for  threat 
ening  to  take  the  life  of  one  of  his  children;  and 
the  moon  was  changing  color  as  a  warning  to  them 
that  if  they  persisted  in  this  course,  they  should  be 
scourged  with  famine  and  pestilence.  At  first  the 
Indians  treated  the  prediction  with  derision,  but  as 
they  beheld  the  dark  shadow  stealing  over  the  moon, 
they  began  to  tremble  with  fear.  With  the  progress 
of  the  eclipse,  their  fears  increased  and  when  they 
saw  a  mysterious  darkness  covering  the  earth,  their 


TO  THE  RESCUE  435 

terror  knew  no  bounds.  The  cacique  and  his  princi 
pal  warriors  threw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  cap 
tive  and  begged  him  to  intercede  with  his  God  to 
withhold  the  threatened  punishment,  promising  that 
he  should  have  not  only  his  liberty,  but  anything 
else  he  might  desire.  Hernando  affected  indifference 
to  their  supplications,  until  the  eclipse  began  to  pass 
off  the  face  of  the  moon,  and  then  he  informed  them 
that  his  God  had  deigned  to  pardon  them,  on  condi 
tion  of  their  sending  him  to  his  people  across  the 
intervening  gulf. 

When  the  credulous  natives  saw  the  moon  re 
stored  to  its  former  brightness,  they  overwhelmed 
Hernando  with  thanks  for  his  intercession.  They 
began  immediate  preparations  to  convey  him  to  His- 
paniola,  and  the  next  morning  found  them  on  their 
way  across  the  gulf  in  canoes.  There  was  no  wind, 
the  sky  was  without  a  cloud,  and  the  heat  was  in 
tolerable.  Exhausted  by  heat,  the  Indians  would 
plunge  into  the  water  to  cool  themselves,  and  return 
with  new  vigor  to  their  labors.  By  the  close  of  the 
first  day  they  had  lost  sight  of  land.  During  the 
night  the  Indians  took  turns,  one  half  sleeping  while 
the  others  rowed  —  Hernando  standing  guard  all  the 
while,  with  their  only  weapons  hi  his  possession.  In 
this  way  they  toiled  through  the  first  night,  their 
frail  barks  heaving  up  and  down  with  the  swelling  of 
the  ocean.  The  light  canoes  seemed  scarcely  capa 
ble  of  withstanding  the  broad  undulations  of  a  calm 
sea  and  Hernando  could  not  but  wonder  uneasily 


436  COLUMBIA 

how  they  would  be  able  to  live  amid  waves  and 
surges,  should  the  wind  rise. 

During  the  first  day  the  Indians,  fatigued  and 
tormented  by  thirst,  had  drunk  up  nearly  all  the 
water,  and  in  the  face  of  this  new  suffering,  all  others 
were  forgotten.  Before  the  end  of  the  second  day 
their  strength  failed  them.  Hernando  had  secretly 
reserved  for  such  extremity  two  small  kegs  of  water. 
The  precious  contents  were  administered  in  sparing 
mouthfuls  to  those  who  still  labored  at  the  oars. 
For  the  rest  .of  the  day  they  continued  wearily  toil 
ing  on,  Hernando  all  the  while  keeping  an  anxious 
lookout  for  land.  The  sun  went  down  on  a  shoreless 
sky;  there  was  not  even  a  cloud  on  the  horizon  which 
might  have  deceived  them  into  a  hope.  The  night 
closed  upon  them  without  any  sight  of  the  island  and 
they  now  despaired  of  reaching  it.  Two  of  the  In 
dians  died;  others  lay  panting  at  the  bottom  of  the 
canoes.  The  night  had  far  advanced;  the  last  drop 
of  water  had  been  dealt  out.  Those  whose  turn  it 
was  to  take  repose  were  unable  to  sleep  from  the 
intensity  of  their  thirst,  while  those  on  duty  could 
scarcely  move  their  paddles  through  the  water.  It 
seemed  impossible  that  they  should  live  to  reach 
Hispaniola. 

Hernando  was  now  about  to  despair.  He  sat 
watching  the  horizon,  which  was  gradually  being 
lighted  by  the  faint  rays  of  light  which  precede 
the  rising  moon.  As  it  rose,  he  perceived  that  it 
seemed  to  emerge  from  behind  some  dark  mass  ele- 


TO  THE  RESCUE  437 

vated  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Immediately  he 
gave  the  cry  of  "Land!  "  The  almost  expiring  In 
dians,  roused  to  new  life,  exerted  themselves  with 
feverish  energy,  and  by  "dawn  they  had  reached  the 
shore  and  landed  on  the  bank  of  a  beautiful  river. 
There  they  were  able  to  slake  their  thirst  and  were 
kindly  received  by  the  natives. 

After  remaining  for  two  days'  rest,  Hernando 
departed  with  Indian  guides  from  the  island  to  cover 
the  one  hundred  and  thirty  leagues  along  the  coast 
that  still  separated  him  from  San  Domingo.  They 
started  by  canoe,  but  after  proceeding  eighty  leagues 
with  infinite  toil,  always  against  the  currents,  they 
lost  their  boats.  Still  undaunted  by  difficulties  or 
fatigue,  he  proceeded  on  foot,  through  savage  forests 
and  over  mountains,  until  at  last  he  arrived  at  San 
Domingo. 

He  had  accomplished  an  undertaking  which  Colum 
bus  himself,  who  knew  no  obstacles,  had  pronounced 
impossible.  Nothing  less  than  his  devotion  to  the  ad 
miral  and  his  great  love  for  Christina  could  have  in 
spired  such  a  heroic  effort.  But  the  journey  had  been 
made  at  terrific  cost  to  both  mind  and  body,  and  the 
moment  Hernando  realized  that  he  was  once  more 
among  friends,  he  sank  unconscious  under  a  strain 
that  had  overtaxed  his  physical  endurance.  Some 
weeks  later  when  he  regained  consciousness,  he  found 
himself  amongst  familiar  surroundings.  At  first  he 
thought  he  was  dreaming,  for  he  seemed  to  be  in  the 
little  house  he  had  erected  on  his  land  grant  near  San 


438  COLUMBIA 

Domingo.  But  the  atmosphere  of  the  place  was 
changed,  as  if  it  had  been  prepared  for  his  home 
coming;  and  the  beautiful  girl  who  sat  by  his  bedside 
—  surely  it  could  not  be  —  yes,  yes,  it  was  Christina. 

"Christina,  my  guardian  angel,  is  it  you  who  has 
nursed  me  back  to  life?  " 

Such  scenes  are  too  sacred  for  description,  and  we 
shall  leave  them  to  enjoy  alone  those  moments 
of  unalloyed  happiness,  which  seemed  all  the  sweeter 
because  of  the  years  of  hardship  and  separation  that 
had  kept  them  apart. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

CONCLUSION. 

THE  faithful  Mendez,  undaunted  by  the  perils  and 
hardships  he  had  suffered,  offered  to  depart,  imme 
diately  on  a  second  expedition  —  which  proved  to 
be  successful.  He  was  received  with  great  kindness 
by  Ovando,  who  expressed  the  utmost  concern  at  the 
unfortunate  situation  of  Columbus  and  promised 
immediate  relief;  but  "he  was  a  slippery  knave,  who 
knew  how  to  deal  out  promises  without  taking  the 
first  step  toward  their  fulfillment." 

Eight  months  had  elapsed  since  Mendez's  second 
departure,  and  in  the  meantime,  Columbus  was  the 
tenant  of  a  wreck  on  a  savage  coast,  at  the  mercy, 
not  only  of  the  barbarous  hordes  who  had  been  trans 
formed  into  ferocious  enemies,  but  a  mutinous  crew. 
It  was  a  terrible  year  that  the  admiral  spent  on  the 
wild  coast  of  Jamaica.  He  was  confined  to  his  bed 
by  excruciating  maladies,  which  hardships  and  anx 
iety  had  heaped  upon  his  advancing  age.  Before  the 
year  ended,  there  was  a  pitched  battle,  in  which  Don 
Bartholomew  led  the  loyal  forces  in  a  victorious 
attempt  to  quell  a  band  of  mutineers. 

Ovando  threw  impediments  in  the  way  of  Men- 
dez's  obtaining  the  required  relief,  and  in  this  way 
439 


440  COLUMBIA 

prevented  Hernando  from  co-operating  with  him; 
but  both  had  been  active  in  stirring  up  public 
sentiment  in  favor  of  the  admiral  —  so  much  so  that 
Ovando's  conduct  had  aroused  great  indignation  in 
San  Domingo  and  he  was  openly  condemned  by  the 
clergy.  At  length,  just  as  Hernando  was  about  to 
purchase  some  ships  privately,  on  Columbus'  account 
and  was  on  the  point  of  sending  for  the  admiral, 
Ovando  sent  two  ships  over  to  Jamaica  and  brought 
Columbus  and  his  starving  party  to  Hispaniola. 
This  was  late  in  June,  1504. 

Hernando's  recovery  was  followed  by  an  early 
marriage  to  Christina,  and  when  Columbus  arrived 
at  San  Domingo  on  the  13th  day  of  August,  1504, 
one  of  the  first  to  welcome  him  was  Hernando,  whom 
the  admiral  greeted  as  one  returned  from  the  dead. 
He  found  his  youthful  companion  settled  down  to  a 
peaceful  and  quiet  life  in  the  little  home  on  his  estate. 
With  him  were  Roderigo  and  the  aged  Senora  Doria, 
who  had  come  to  look  upon  the  discoverer  of  the  New 
World  with  reverence  —  as  a  man  called  of  Heaven 
for  a  great  work. 

The  admiral  was  visibly  affected  at  seeing  Her 
nando  again,  and  received  him  with  all  the  affection 
due  a  long-lost  son. 

"I  have  not  seen  you  so  happy  in  many  a  day," 
remarked  Hernando,  as  he  conducted  Columbus  to 
his  home  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 

"I  was  unable  to  learn  if  you  had  lived  to  reach 
San  Domingo;  and  to  find  you  not  only  alive,  but 


CONCLUSION  441 

reunited  with  your  family,  gives  me  double  cause  for 
rejoicing,"  replied  the  admiral  tenderly. 

"We  are  all  very  happy.  The  years  of  separation 
prepared  us  for  a  higher  appreciation  of  our  present 
blessings.  All  these  years  I  have  been  searching  for 
riches,  not  realizing  my  wealth  in  the  possession  of 
your  affection  and  confidence,  and  in  the  love  of  a 
pure,  devoted  woman." 

"Such  love  as  that  is  a  greater  luxury  than  any 
thing  that  gold  can  buy.  I  trust,  my  son,  that  you 
will  remain  in  this  New  World  and  be  one  of  the  men 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  great  empire,"  was  the  ad 
miral's  admonition;  and  it  was  never  forgotten  by  the 
head  of  the  Estevan  family  in  America,  whose  de 
scendants  have  given  freely  of  their  services  to  the 
upbuilding  of  the  nation. 

Hernando  was  silent  for  some  moments,  as  he 
reflected  that  his  services  for  his  beloved  master  were 
"ended,  and  then  replied,  "I  shall  be  content  to  remain 
here  always,  unless  I  can  further  serve  you." 

But  Columbus  would  not  tolerate  even  the  sug 
gestion.  "My  work  is  nearly  finished.  I  shall 
return  to  Spain  where  my  two  faithful  sons  will  care 
for  me.  Your  thought  now  must  be  of  Christina 
and  your  father  and  Seiiora  Doria." 

Hernando  then  spoke  of  the  chaotic  state  of  the 
admiral's  affairs,  which  had  given  him  great  concern 
ever  since  his  arrival  in  San  Domingo. 

"Your  interests  have  been  sacrificed  during  your 
absence." 


442  COLUMBIA 

"But  those  of  the  crown  have  suffered,  also,  under 
poor  management."  said  Columbus.  "The  principal 
source  of  revenue  has  been  cut  off  and  the  island 
has  been  almost  depopulated  of  its  original  inhabi 
tants." 

"Hispaniola  has  been  the  scene  of  atrocities  such 
as  have  scarcely  been  surpassed  in  all  history," 
added  Hernando  with  indignation. 

"The  desolation  of  the  island  has  grieved  me 
sorely,  but  I  am  powerless  to  interfere.  My  advice 
is  ill  received  by  the  governor,  and  the  sooner  I 
return  to  Spain  the  better  it  will  be  for  the  peace  and 
prosperity  of  Hispaniola." 

A  month  later  Columbus  sailed  for  Spain.  For 
tune  seemed  to  persecute  him  to  the  end  of  his  last 
voyage,  for  he  had  scarcely  left  the  harbor  when  he 
was  encountered  by  a  sudden  and  severe  storm. 
For  several  weeks  he  was  tempest-tossed,  suffering 
at  the  same  time  the  most  excruciating  pain  from  his 
malady;  and  when  he  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  San 
Lucas  on  the  7th  of  November,  1504,  he  was  in  the 
grip  of  his  last  illness. 

The  subsequent  history  of  Columbus  is  brief, 
but  it  is  a  sad  page  in  the  great  book  of  humanity. 
When  he  arrived  in  Spain,  Queen  Isabella  was  on  her 
deathbed  and  a  few  days  later  passed  away.  Her 
death  was  a  great  blow  to  the  fortunes  of  Columbus. 
It  left  him  to  the  cold  ingratitude  of  Ferdinand,  who 
realized  that  a  little  more  delay,  a  few  more  disap 
pointments,  and  the  loyal  heart  of  his  faithful  servant 


CONCLUSION  443 

would  cease  to  beat,  and  he  would  be  free  from  the 
just  claims  of  one  who,  in  ceasing  to  be  useful,  had 
become  a  burden. 

What  visions  of  glory  would  have  filled  Columbus' 
mind  had  he  realized  that  he  had  discovered  a  new 
continent,  equal  in  magnitude  to  the  whole  of  the 
Old  World.  However,  he  died  in  ignorance  of  the 
real  grandeur  of  his  discovery  and  the  New  World 
bears  the  name  of  another  —  but  he  needs  no  monu 
ment  to  perpetuate  his  memory.  His  name  shall 
not  cease  to  be  a  household  word  until  "languages 
are  dead  and  lips  are  dust." 

He  expired  at  Valladolid,  with  great  resignation,  on 
the  Day  of  Ascension,  the  20th  of  May,  1506.  His  last 
words  were,  "Into  thy  hands,  0  Lord,  I  commend  my 
spirit."  His  cherished  plan  of  rescuing  the  Holy 
Sepulchre  was  never  fulfilled,  and  perhaps  it  was 
God's  will  it  should  not  be.  That  so  great  and  good 
a  man  as  Columbus  should  have  been  neglected  in 
his  old  age  and  left  to  die  of  cold  ingratitude  — 
broken-hearted  and  disappointed  —  will  bring  pain 
and  regret  to  the  hearts  of  all  who  read  his  pathetic 
story,  so  long  as  the  world  shall  stand. 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


PAGE 

Adelantado,  Don  Bartholomew  appointed 363 

Agreement  between  Columbus  and  sovereigns  signed. .  .  137 
Aguado,  Juan,  arrives  at  Isabella  with  letter  of  credence 

from  sovereigns 367 

his   letter   of   credence   proclaimed    by   sound   of 

trumpet 367 

received  by  Columbus 368 

encourages  complaints  against  Columbus 369 

Alarms,  false,  penalty  for 184 

Alfonso,  death  of 6 

Alhambra,  In  the;  seat  of  Moorish  power,  illustration.  .  .  89 

Alhambra,  The 34 

Alhambra,  The,  illustration 398 

Almeida,  Don  Francisco  de,  given  command  of  expedi 
tion  sent  out  by  King  John 259 

Andalusia,  "God's  Out-of-Doors "  in,  illustration 31 

Andalusian  village,  illustration 9 

Antilla 55 

"Antipodes,  Old" 15 

April  17,  1492,  date  of  agreement  between  Columbus 

and  sovereigns 139 

Arabs,  the,  subdued  by  persevering  valor  of  the  Goths. .  4 

Aragon,  kingdom  of 6 

Arana,  Diego  de,  given  command  of  colony 230 

Architecture,  jewel  of  Moorish,  illustration 3 

Architecture,  specimen  of  Gothic,  illustration 95 

Arms  of  Columbus,  coat  of 292 

Arrows,  Gulf  of 241 

444 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  445 

Articles  of  agreement  between  Columbus  and  sovereigns .   138 

Atlantis,  Plato's 52 

August  3,  1492,  Columbus  sailed  from  Palos 153 

Azores,  Columbus  reaches  the 251 

Babeque   and   Bohio,   Columbus   determines   to   go   in 

search  of  islands  of 208 

Baracoa,  the  first  town  founded  on  island  of  Cuba 210 

Baracoa,  illustration 211 

Barcelona,  Columbus  sets  out  for 283 

Barcelona,  reception  of  Columbus  at 286-288 

Barrameda,  San  Lucas  de,  Columbus  sails  from  port  of  .  381 
Bartholomew,  Don  (See  Columbus,  Don  Bartholomew) 

Bastides,  Roderigo,  sails  from  Cadiz 403 

Birds  discovered 168 

Boabdil,  capture  of 90 

Bobadilla,  Don  Francisco  de,  sent  out  to  investigate 

affairs  of  colony 389 

advised  of  conditions  before  landing  at  San  Do 
mingo 390 

has  letters  patent  read  at  door  of  the  church  and 

demands  custody  of  all  prisoners 390 

takes  fortress  by  force  of  arms 391 

maintains  insulting  silence  toward  Columbus    393 

arrests  Columbus  and  brothers,  and  sends  them  in 

irons  to  Spain 393 

no  public  notice  taken  of  charges  by 405 

.fate  of 416 

Bouillon,  Godfrey  de 115 

Boyle  Bernardo,  Benedictine  monk 316 

Bullfight,  Spanish,  general  description  of 19-25 

Bush  with  berries  discovered  floating  in  water 188 

Cacique,  a,  and  his  wives,  illustration 220 

Cadiz,  scene  of  Columbus'  second  departure 317 

Columbus  arrives  at 375 

Columbus  sails  on  fourth  voyage  from 412 

Canary  Islands,  Columbus  reaches 158 


446  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Caribbee  Islands,  Columbus  arrives  at 412 

Caribs,  The 221 

Caribs,  evidences  of  cannibalism  discovered  among 325 

Casas,  Las,  considers  the  lots  which  fell  to  Columbus  as 

an  intimation  from  the  Deity 255 

Casas',  Las,  estimate  of  Don  Bartholomew 361 

Casas,  Las,  quotation  from 416 

Castaneda,  Juan  de,  Governor  of  St.  Mary's 251 

surrounds  hermitage  and  makes  sailors  prisoners . .  .  252 

addresses  Columbus 253 

sends  two  priests   and   a   notary   to   examine  Col 
umbus'  papers 254 

liberates  seamen 254 

cause  of  his  conduct 254 

Castile,  house  of   2 

Enrique  IV  of 6 

kingdom  of 6 

Celi,  Medina,  Duke  of 39 

Columbus  seeks  aid  of 56 

Charles  V,  grandson  of  Ferdinand 380 

Charles  VIII  of  France,  receives    Don    Bartholomew 

with  favor 360 

advances  a  hundred  crowns  to  Don  Bartholomew  . .  360 

deposes  King  of  Naples  from  throne 380 

Christian  city,  Isabella,  first  of  the  New  World 337 

Church,  influence  of,  credited  with  discovery  of  America  126 

Cid,  the  national  hero  of  Spain 2 

Cintra,  Rock  of,  near  Lisbon,  Columbus  arrives  at 256 

Cipango,  Columbus  concludes  he  has  missed  island  of . . .  185 
Clemencin's  description  of  Columbus  at  time  of  celebra 
tion  of  the  downfall  of  Granada 93 

Coat  of  arms  of  Columbus 292 

Coloma,  Juan  de,  the  royal  secretary 138 

Colon,  Diego,  the  Lucayan  interpreter 328 

Columbus,  Bartholomew,  Don,  carries  proposal  to  King 

of  England 56 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  447 

Columbus,  Bartholomew,  Don,  cause  of  delay  in  reaching 

England 359 

his  proposition  is  received  favorably  by  King 

Henry  VII 359 

learns  of  discovery  of  New  World  on  his  arrival  in 

Paris 359 

entertained  by  French  monarch,  Charles  VIII 360 

sets  out  for  Spain 360 

reception  of,  by  Spanish  monarchs 360 

arrives  with  squadron  at  Isabella 360 

at  bedside  of  the  admiral 361 

estimate  of  by  Las  Casas 361 

appointed  adelantado 363 

investigates  reports  of  Miguel  Diaz 373 

left  in  charge  of  colony  in  Veragua 424 

wounded  in  conflict  with  natives 425 

arrest  of,  by  Bobadilla 394 

Columbus,  Christopher,  ridiculed  by  populace  in  streets 

of  Palos 15 

sketch  of 28,29 

native  of  Genoa 28 

name  of,  not  generally  known 29 

believed  himself  called  of  Heaven  to  rescue  Holy 

Sepulchre 49,  67 

his  correspondence  with  Toscanelli 52 

built  his  theories  on  stories  of  Marco  Polo  and 

other  travelers 52-55 

applies  for  aid  to  the  Duke  of  Medina  Celi 56 

deceived  by  King  John  of  Portugal 56 

entertained  in  convent  of  St.  Stephen 63,  64 

gives  reasons  for  believing  junto  prejudiced  against 

him 67 

his  arguments  before  the  junto 70-76 

hears  arguments  of  junto 70-74, 77 

accused  of  being  heterodox 73 

his  voyage  to  St.  George  la  Mina  in  Guinea 75 


448  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Columbus,  Christopher,  lingers  at  Cordova 79 

demands  decision  of  junto 79 

goes  to  Seville 82 

decides  to  leave  Seville  for  France 82 

asks  porter  at  convent  for  food  for  his  child 83 

meets  Juan  Perez  de  Marchena,  who  detains  him  as 

his  guest 83-84 

meets  Garcia  Fernandez 84 

meets  the  Pinzons 84-86 

receives  twenty  thousand  maravedis  in  florins 

from  .the  queen..  .• 88 

entertained  by  Alonzo  de  Quintilla 90 

melancholy  state  of,  described  by  Clemencin 93 

before  Queen  Isabella.. 103,  105-109 

states  his  terms 110 

rejects  terms  of  queen's  agents 112 

resolves  to  devote  revenues  from  discoveries  to 

rescue  of  Holy  Sepulchre 114-115 

again  decides  to  leave  Spain  and  makes  departure 

from  Santa  Fe 116-117 

overtaken  by  courier  at  Bridge  of  Pinos 130 

returns  to  Santa  Fe 131 

articles  of  his  agreement  with  sovereigns 138 

chief  aim  of,  the  extension  of  the  Christian  religion..  139 
received  by  Perez  and  accompanied  to  church  of  St. 

George 146-147 

seeks  aid  of  Pinzons 149 

makes  final  preparations  and  sails  from  Palos 153 

tries  to  inspire  crew  with  his  own  glorious 

anticipations, 162 

ruse  of,  to  deceive  crew  while  in  service  of  King 

Reiner 163 

makes  false  reckoning 164 

discovers  variation  of  compass 166 

explains  to  pilots  variation  of  the  compass 168 

members  of  his  crew  propose  throwing  him  overboard  175 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  449 

Columbus,  Christopher,  his  crew  becomes  mutinous. .  .  .  176 
threatens  forfeit  of  claim  to  the  reward,  to  stop  false 

alarms 184 

concludes  he  has  missed  Cipango 185 

alters  course 186 

reward  for  the  discovery  of  land  adjudged  to 191 

lands  at  San  Salvador 196 

takes  possession  of  San  Salvador  in  name  of  Spanish 

sovereigns 197 

takes  seven  of  the  natives  to  teach  them  the  Spanish 

language 201 

discovers  Cuba 206, 207 

sends  envoys  into  the  interior  of  Cuba,  in  search  of 

Grand  Khan 207 

determines  to  go  in  search  of  islands  of  Babeque 

and  Bohio 208 

deserted  by  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon 209 

suffers  shipwreck  in  Santa  Maria 216-217 

and  crew  of  Santa,  Maria  take  refuge  on  board  Nina  217 

receives  assistance  from  Guacanagari 217-218 

dines  Guacanagari  and  is  entertained  by  him 219 

forms  the  plan  of  a  colony 222 

is  given  affectionate  reception  by  Guacanagari 224 

selects  thirty-nine  members  of  crew  for  colony 230 

gives  advice  to  colony 230 

gives  parting  feast  to  Guacanagari  and  his  chief 
tains  231 

awes  natives  by  discharge  of  firearms 231 

departs  from  Nativity 231-232 

finds  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  near  Monte  Christi 232 

commands  Pinzon  to  release  natives  and  sends  them 

back  with  presents 236 

has  first  encounter  with  natives 240 

encounters  violent  storms  on  return  voyage 245 

and  crew  draw  lots  and  make  vows 247,  248 

second  lot  falls  to 248 

Vol.  1—29 


450  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Columbus,  Christopher,  throws  overboard  barrel  contain 
ing  account  of  his  voyages 248 

reaches  the  Azores '. 250 

demands  release  of  seamen  captured  by  Castaneda . .  253 

agents  of  Castaneda  examine  his  papers 254 

and  crew  again  cast  lots  for  another  pilgrimage 255 

arrives  off  the  Rock  of  Cintra 256 

summoned  on  board  Portuguese  man-of-war,  but 

refuses  to  leave  his  vessel 256 

sends  courier  to  Spanish  sovereigns  and  King  John 

of  Portugal 256 

receives  request  to  call  upon  King  John 257 

is  conducted  to  palace  of  King  John 257 

in  presence  of  King  John 257-258 

pays  his  respects  to  the  Queen  of  Portugal 259 

spends  night  at  Llandra 265 

sails  for  Palos 266 

arrives  at  Palos 268 

reception  of,  on  his  arrival  at  Palos 268-272 

goes  to  meet  Pinzon 274 

sets  out  for  Seville 277 

reception  of,  on  road  to  Seville 279 

receives  invitation  from  the  sovereigns 282 

sets  out  for  Barcelona 283 

reception  of,  on  way  to  Barcelona 284 

displays  trophies  of  the  New  World 285 

enters  Barcelona 286 

reception  of,  by  the  nobility 287 

reception  of,  by  sovereigns 287-289 

ordered  to  be  seated  in  the  presence  of  the  sov 
ereigns 288 

makes  vow  to  furnish  an  army  for  the  rescue  of  the 

Holy  Sepulchre 289 

invited  to  banquet  by  grand  cardinal  of  Spain 290 

and  the  anecdote  of  the  egg 291 

extravagant  fancies  of,  regarding  the  New  World. . .  314 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  451 

Columbus,  Christopher,  makes  preparation  for  second 

expedition 314 

provisional  agreement  made  with,  at  Santa  Fe, 

confirmed 317 

powers  with  which,  was  invested 317 

departure  of,  on  second  voyage 320 

gives  sealed  instructions  to  the  commander  of  each 

vessel 322 

arrives  off  eastern  extremity  of  Hispaniola 326 

anchors  in  harbor  of  Monte  Christi 326 

anchors  opposite  harbor  of  Fort  Nativity 327 

visited  by  cousin  of  cacique 329 

learns  of  disaster  to  Fort  Nativity 329 

visits  Guacanagari 334 

abandons  Fort  Nativity 336 

founds  Isabella 337 

illness  of 338 

requests  supplies*  from  Spain 339 

suggests  exchange  of  natives  for  live  stock 340 

recommends  Margarite  and  Aguado  to  favor  of 

sovereigns 340 

leads  expedition  into  interior 341 

returns  to  Isabella 343 

opinion  of,  regarding  the  natives  is  changed 344 

makes  distribution  of  forces  in  island 348 

tries  in  vain  to  see  Guacanagari 349 

sails  for  Cuba 349 

continues  voyage  along  supposed  continent  of  Asia .  350 

plan  of,  to  circumnavigate  the  globe 352 

continues  voyage  against  protests  of  crew 354 

compels  crew  to  express  opinion  under  oath 354 

abandons  exploration  of  the  coast 355 

lands  for  celebration  of  mass 355 

is  addressed  by  venerable  Indian 356 

falls  into  a  deep,  death-like  lethargy 358 

finds  brother,  Don  Bartholomew,  at  his  bedside 359 


452  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Columbus,    Christopher,    appoints    Don    Bartholomew 

adelantado 363 

makes  war  on  the  natives 364 

imposes  tribute  upon  the  natives 365 

popularity  of,  receives  vital  blow 367 

reception  of  Aguado  by 368 

complaints  against,  encouraged  by  Aguado 369 

resolves  to  return  with  Aguado  to  Spain 370 

departure  of,  delayed  by  storm  which  wrecks  the  fleet  370 

believes  ancient  Ophir  has  been  discovered 374 

arrives  in  Cadiz 375 

clothes  himself  as  Franciscan  monk 378 

invited  by  sovereigns  to  present  himself  at  court. . .  379 

reception  of,  by  sovereigns 379 

proposes  another  voyage 380 

sails  on  third  voyage 381 

perils  encountered 382 

speculation  of,  in  regard  to  Garden  of  Eden 383 

touches  at  South  America 383 

arrives  at  San  Domingo  in  broken  health 383 

finds  island  in  throes  of  rebellion 384 

adopts  measures  to  restore  tranquillity 386 

offers  to  pardon  Roldan 386 

finds  an  appeal  to  arms  would  betray  his  weakness. .  387 

sends  report  of  rebellion  to  sovereigns 387 

receives  reply  from  sovereigns 388 

first  impression  of,  regarding  Bobadilla's  conduct  .  .  392 

ignored  by  Bobadilla 393 

arrest  of 393 

put  in  irons 394 

fears  he  is  being  taken  to  scaffold 396 

refuses  to  have  chains  removed,  except  by  order 

of  the  sovereigns 396 

arrives  in  Cadiz,  a  prisoner  in  chains 397 

and  his  brothers  are  set  at  liberty  by  authority  of 

sovereigns 399 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  453 

Columbus,  Christopher,  invited  to  court 404 

received  by  queen,  in  tears 404 

is  promised  restoration  of  honors 405 

remains  nine  months  in  Granada 408 

inspired  by  achievement  of  Vasco  de  Gama  to  under 
take  fourth  voyage 410 

begins  preparations  for  fourth  voyage 410 

forbidden  to  land  at  Hispaniola 411 

refused  hospitality  of  San  Domingo 414 

suffers  extremely  from  gout 420 

anxiety  of,   regarding  his  son  Diego  and  brother 

Bartholomew 420 

report  of,  regarding  Veragua 424 

prepares  to  leave  colony  in  Veragua  and  depart  for 

Hispaniola 424 

abandons  colony  and  sails  for  Hispaniola 426 

wrecked  on  shore  of  Jamaica 426 

is  rescued  through  efforts  of  Diego  Mendez 439 

returns  to  Spain 442 

neglected  by  Ferdinand 442 

last  illness  and  death  of 443 

Columbus,  Diego,  appointed  page  to  Prince  Juan 133 

Columbus,  Diego,  Don,  given  command  of  city 341 

personality  of • 341 

authority  of,  ignored  by  Margarite 363 

in  irons 393 

Compass,  variation  of 166 

Complications  between  Spain  and  Portugal 315 

Consultation   between   Columbus    and    Martin    Alonzo 

Pinzon •  183 

Copernicus,  solar  system  of . . . : 77 

Cordova,  the  Mosque  of 4 

Castilian  court  repaired  to 78 

Columbus  at 79 

illustration 81 

Gonsalvo  of 380 


454  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Coronation  of  Isabella,  December  13,  1474 7 

Costa  Rica,  discovery  of 421 

Crusades,  doctrine  established  during 315 

Cuba,  discovery  of 206-207 

December  13,  1474,  coronation  of  Isabella 7 

Destruction  of  Bobadilla's  fleet. 415 

Deza,  Friar  Diego  de,  convinced  by  arguments  of  Col 
umbus 76 

remains  friendly  to  Columbus 80 

Diaz,  Miguel,  in  voluntary  exile,  marries  a  female  cacique 
is  sent  by  Indian  wife  to  persuade  the  colony  at 

Isabella  to  settle  on  banks  of  Ozema 371-372 

refuses  to  obey  commands  of  Bobadilla 391 

Diego-,  Don  (See  Columbus,  Don  Diego) 

Dominica,  Island  of 323 

Eden,   Garden  of,   supposed  location  of,   according  to 

Columbus 383 

Egg,  the  anecdote  of 291 

Empire,  destruction  of  mimic 335 

Encounter  with  savages  of  Ciguay 239-240 

Enrique  (Henry)  of  Castile,  the  Impotent 6 

attempts  to  place  daughter  on  throne 6 

death  of 7 

Epicurus,   cited  to  prove   impossibility  of  circumnavi 
gating  the  earth 74 

Escobar,  Roderigo  de,  royal  notary  of  expedition 152 

European  civilization    in    the    New    World,    first    foot 
prints  of 334 

Ferdinand,  King,  of  Aragon 6 

borrows  money  to  defray  nuptial  expenses 7 

goes  to  Valladolid  disguised  as  merchant 7 

marriage  of,  to  Isabella 7 

attempts  to  dissuade  the  queen  from  aiding  Col 
umbus 124 

sternness  of,  due  to  the  three  absorbing  objects  of 

his  life. . ,                                                                  .  310 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  455 

Ferdinand,  King,  of  Aragon,  forms  family  alliance 380 

general  license  granted  by,  to  navigators 405 

attitude  of,  toward  Columbus 406 

his  neglect  of  Columbus 442 

Fernandez,  Garcia,  urges  Columbus  to  remain  in  Spain. .     84 

Fernandina,  island  of,  discovered 205 

Ferro,  Isle  of,  fleet  divided  at 381 

Firearms  of  the  times 316 

First  voyage,  Columbus  sails  on 153 

account  of  return  trip 243-248 

Fiske,  quotation  from 115 

Fourth  voyage,  Columbus',  object  of 410 

France,  Columbus  decides  to  leave  Seville  for 82 

Gama,  Vasco  de,  doubles  Cape  of  Good  Hope 410 

"Genoa,  Madman  of, "  Columbus  called 15-50 

Genoa,  Christopher  Columbus,  native  of 28 

Gold  Coast,  discovery  of 421 

Golden  Tower,  illustration 278 

Good  Hope,  Cape  of,  doubled  by  Vasco  de  Gama 410 

Goths,  the,  subdue  the  fiery  courage  of  the  Arabs 4 

Granada,  the  Moorish  kingdom  of 6 

Guacanagari,  the  cacique 215 

gives  Columbus  aid 217-218 

is  dined  by  Columbus  and  entertains  him  in  turn.  .  .   219 
his  hospitable  treatment  of  Columbus  and  the  crew .  224 

Columbus  reluctant  to  believe  in  perfidy  of 332 

visited  by  Columbus 334 

explains  the  disappearance  of  the  Spaniards  from 

Fort  Nativity 334 

Guadaloupe,  first  landing  made  at 323 

Guanaja,  discovery  of 417 

Gutierrez,  Pedro 230 

Henry  VII,  King  of  England,  receives  Don  Bartholomew 

with  favor 359 

Hispaniola,  (Hayti),  discovery  of 210-211 

transcendent  appearance  of 210-211 


456  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Hispaniola,  (Hayti),why  so  named 210 

native  form  of  government  of 219 

Columbus  arrives  off  the  eastern  extremity  of 326 

Columbus  forbidden  to  stop  at 411 

Holy  Sepulchre,  Columbus    believes    himself    called    of 

Heaven  to  rescue 49,  67 

Columbus  makes  vow  to  furnish  an  army  for  rescue 

of , ' 289-290 

Columbus  entreats  sovereigns  not  to  reject  his  plans 

for  rescue  of 409 

Honduras,  Columbus  off  coast  of 417 

Cape,  discovery  of 419 

Impotent,  Enrique  the 6 

Indians  baptized  at  Barcelona 317 

Indian  girl  captured 212 

Irving,  Washington,  quotation  from 382 

Isabella,    formally    named    heiress    to    the     crown    of 

Castile 6 

taken  to  Valladolid  to  escape  Marquis  of  Villena ....  6-7 

marriage  of,  to  Ferdinand 7 

coronation  of .7 

Isabella,  Queen,  receives     Juan     Perez     and     becomes 

interested  in  Columbus'  plans 88 

orders  twenty  thousand  maravedis    in    florins    sent 

to  Columbus 88 

character  sketch  of 103 

listens  to  Columbus 105-109 

breaks  off  negotiations  with  Columbus,  acting  upon 

advice  of  Fernando  de  Talavera 113 

persuaded  to  recall  Columbus 122-124 

offers  to  pledge  her  jewels  to  aid  Columbus 125 

sends  for  Columbus 127 

objects  to  treatment  of  natives  as  slaves 340 

death  of 442 

Isabella,  Island  of,  discovered 205 

Columbus  founds  city  of 337 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  457 

Isabella,  Island  of,  inhabitants  of 338 

Columbus  returns  to 343 

discontent  of  inhabitants  of 348 

the  return  to,  after  exploring  expedition 356 

Jamaica,  discovery  of  by  Columbus 350 

Jerez,  Roderigo  de,  sent  into  the  interior  of  Cuba  by 

Columbus  in  search  of  the  Grand  Khan 207 

John  II,  King  of  Portugal 11 

sends  fleet,  while  Columbus  is  kept  awaiting  his  deci 
sion 56 

receives  Columbus 257 

advised  to  assassinate  Columbus 258 

sends  out    expedition   to    take   possession    of    the 

newly  discovered  territory 259 

Kanbalu,  city  of,  in  province  of  Cathay 53 

Khan,  Grand,  palace  of 53 

letters  to,  issued  by  sovereigns 140 

Columbus  decides  to  abandon  further  search  for. . . .  227 

Lactantius  quoted  to  disprove  existence  of  antipodes ....  72 

Land  discovered 191 

Land  discovered,  which  proves  to  be  the  Azores 250 

Landing  of  Columbus 196 

Lights  seen  on  shore 190 

Llandra,  Columbus  spends  night  at 265 

Luna,  Fernando  Perez  de,  takes  oath  of  entire  crew 354 

"Madman  of  Genoa,"  Columbus  called 50 

Malaga,  Columbus  takes  part  in  campaign  against 78 

Mandeville,  Sir  John 108 

Mantinino,  island  of 238 

Marchena,  Juan  Perez  de,  meets  Columbus 83 

Marco  Polo,  stories  from 13 

maps  of 52 

Margarite,  Pedro,  recommended  to  favor  of  sovereigns 

by  Columbus 340 

general  command  entrusted  to 348 

conduct  of,  during  absence  of  Columbus 363 


458  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Margarita,  Pedro,  returns  to  Spain  in  ships  which  brought 

out  Don  Bartholomew • 363 

charges  made  by,  against  Columbus 366 

Martel,  Charles,  turns  back  the  tide  of  Moslem  conquest  2-3 
Martyr,  Peter,  pleasing  description  of  inhabitants  given 

by 213 

May  30,  1498,  Columbus  sails  on  third  voyage 381 

May  9,  1502,  Columbus  sails  on  fourth  voyage 412 

Mendez,  Diego,  persuaded  by  Columbus  to  carry  message 

to  San  Domingo 431 

captured  by  natives,   escapes,   leaving  comrade  to 
his  fate 433 

makes  second  attempt,  and  is  successful 439 

Mendoza,  Pedro  Gonzalez  de,  is  friendly  to  Columbus ...     57 

invites  Columbus  to  banquet 290 

Monte  Christi,  discovery  of 232 

Columbus  anchors  in  harbor  of 326 

Moorish  architecture,  jewel  of,  illustration 3 

Moorish  bard,  lamentation  of 94, 96 

Moorish  king,  capture  of 90 

Moorish  kingdom  of  Granada 6 

Moorish  kingdom  of  Granada  in  war  with  the  Christians.  8-9 

Moorish  ruins,  illustration 77 

Moorish  tower,  illustration 102 

Moors,  The,  overrun  Spain  within  twenty  years 2 

the  conquest  of,  retarded  by  divisions  of  Christian 
kingdoms 4 

the  Spanish,  in  advance  of  any  northern  European 
race 4 

Andalusian  villages  sacked  by 9 

Moslem  conquest  checked  at  Tours  by  Charles  Martel ...       3 
Moslem  Empire  in  Spain  overthrown  after  eight  hun 
dred  years 4 

Mosque,  The,  of  Cordova 4 

illustration 5 

Mosquito  Shore,  exploration  of 421 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  459 

Moustique,  Bay  of 211 

Moya,  Marchioness  of,  becomes  interested  in  Columbus' 

plans  and  intercedes  for  him  with  queen 88 

helps  persuade  Queen  Isabella  to  recall  Columbus...  124 

Mutiny  of  crew 176 

Natives,  surprise  of,  at  landing  of  Columbus 198 

Natives,  Columbus    takes    seven,    to    teach    them    the 

Spanish  language  and  use  them  as  interpreters. .  .   201 

Columbus  suggests  exchange  of,  for  live  stock 340 

their  ideas  of  religion 344 

hospitality  of 346 

Columbus  is  compelled  to  make  war  on 364 

Columbus  imposes  tribute  on 365 

Nativity,  Fort,  erected 228 

Columbus  departs  from 231 

Columbus  learns  of  disaster  at. 329 

ruins  of,  discovered 331 

cause  of  destruction 334 

abandoned 336 

Navarre,  The  kingdom  of 6 

Neuvitas,  town  of,  illustration 206 

marks  the  place  where  Columbus  first  landed  in 

Cuba 207 

New  World,  extravagant  fancies  regarding 314 

Nina,  Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon  appointed  captain  of 151 

goes  to  relief  of  Columbus 217 

Norman  Conqueror,  England  subjugated  by 4 

Norona,  Don  Martin  de,  escorts  Columbus  and  his  pilot . .  263 

October  12,  1492,  discovery  of  land 195 

October  28,  1492,  discovery  of  Cuba 206 

Ojeda,  Don  Alonzo  de,  sails  with  Columbus  on  second 

voyage 318 

is  given  command  of  St.  Thomas 348 

Ophir,  ancient,  believed  by  Columbus  to  have  been  dis 
covered 374 

Ore,  virgin,  discovered 342 


460  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Orinoco  River,  discovery  of 383 

Ovando,  Don  Nicholas  de,  description  of 413 

throws  impediments  in  way  of  Mendez 439 

Palos,  seaport  town  of 11 

port  of,   condemned  to  serve  the  crown  for  two 

years 146 

authorities  of,  commanded  to  supply  Columbus  with 

two  armed  caravels 147 

inhabitants  of,  refuse  to  furnish  supplies  148 

Columbus  enters  the  harbor  of 268 

Paria,  pearl  coast  of 383 

Pass,  The  Gentleman's 341 

Penalosa,  Juan  de,  sent  to  Palos  to  enforce  commands.  .  148 
Perez",   Friar    Juan,  former  confessor  to  queen,   sends 

letter  to  her 86 

receives    answer    from    queen    and    sets    out    for 

Granada 87 

received  by  Queen  Isabella 88 

Perils  of  third  voyage 381 

Personality  of  Columbus 28 

Pinelo,  cashier  second  expedition 315 

Pines,  Isle  of,  disco  very  of 355 

Pinos,  Bridge  of 130 

Pinta,  The,  pressed  into  service 150 

in  distress 157 

discovered 232 

becomes  separated   from   the  Santa  Maria  in  the 

storm 246 

Pinzon,  Martin  Alonzo,  meets  Columbus 85 

is  appointed  captain  of  Pinta 151 

announces  discovery  of  land,  which  proves  to  be 

mistake 181 

deserts  Columbus 209 

is  found  by  Columbus  near  Monte  Christi 232 

makes  apology  to  Columbus 234 

attempts  to  make  captives  of  natives 236 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  461 

Pinzon,  Martin  Alonzo,  writes  the  Spanish  sovereigns 

from  Bayonne 274 

arrival  of,  at  Palos 274 

death  of 275 

Vincent  Yanez,  brother  of  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon. . .  149 

appointed  to  command  of  Nma 151 

goes  to  relief  of  Columbus 217 

discovers  Brazil 402 

Pinzons,  The,  decide  to  accompany  Columbus  on  voyage 

of  discovery 150 

influence  of,  helpful 151 

Plato's  Atlantis 52 

Plaza  de  Toros 18 

Pliny,  belief  of,  in  antipodes 71 

Polo,  Marco,  stories  from 13 

maps  of 52 

Port  Conception 211 

Porto  Rico 242 

Portugal,  complications  between  Spain  and 315 

Columbus  pays  his  respects  to  queen  of 259 

Ptolemy,  maps  of 52 

cosmography  of 77 

Puerto    Bello,     extreme    southern    point    reached    by 

Columbus 422 

Quinsai,  capital  of  Mangi,  description  of 54 

Quintilla,  Alonzo  de,  friend  to  Columbus 57 

entertains  Columbus  at  Granada 90 

Rabida,  La,  Convent  of. 83 

Columbus  received  by  Perez  at 146 

Rebellion,  island  in  state  of 384 

Reckonings  compared 243 

Religion  of  natives 344-346 

Rodriguez,  Sebastian,  sent  as  ambassador  to  the  queen . .  87 

Roldan  heads  rebellion 384 

treats  Columbus'  offer  of  pardon  with  contempt. .  .  386 

restored  to  position  of  alcalde  mayor  or  chief  judge . .  388 


462  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Roldan,  fate  of 416 

Salamanca,  council  of,  arranged  for 57 

seat  of  learning  of  Spain 62 

Columbus  arrives  at 63-64 

illustration 69 

Castilian  court  departs  from 78 

Sanchez,  Roderigo,  inspector-general  of  the  armament. .   152 

San  Domingo,  settlement  of 372 

Columbus  arrives  at,  in  broken  health 383 

Columbus  denied  hospitality  of 414 

San  Salvador,  Columbus  lands  at 196-197 

Columbus  takes  possession  of,  in  name  of  Spanish 

sovereigns 197 

Santa  Maria,  so  named  out  of  respect  for  the  Blessed 

Virgin 151 

wreck  of 216-217 

wreckage  of,  used  for  building  of  fort 223 

wreck  of,  looked  upon  by  Columbus  as  providential .  223 

Second  expedition,  preparations  for. 314-316 

Second  voyage,  character  of  crew  who  sailed  on 320 

Segovia,  Isabella  proclaimed  queen  at 7 

September  25,  1493,  Columbus  sailed  on  second  expedi 
tion 320 

Seville,  Columbus  repairs  to  court  at 82 

illustration 273 

sets  out  for 277 

Shipwreck  of  Columbus  on  coast  of  Jamaica 426 

Slaves,  Columbus  proposes  sending  natives  to  Spain  as .   340 

Spain,  overrun  by  Moors  within  twenty-five  years 2-3 

numerous  petty  kingdoms  of,  united 6 

charming  scenery  of 32-34 

complications  between  Portugal  and 315 

Spanish  bullfight,  general  description  of 19-25 

Spanish  celebration  of  victory 93-94 

St.  Angel,  Luis  de,  friend  to  Columbus 116 

intercedes  with  queen  for  Columbus 122 


HISTORICAL  INDEX  463 

St.  Angel,  Luis  de,  offers  to  advance  funds  for  expedition  125 
St.  Augustine  quoted  to  prove  existence  of  antipodes 

incompatible  with  the  Holy  Scriptures 72-73 

St.  Brandon 55 

St.  Elmo's  fire  seen  during  a  storm 322 

St.  Mary's,  one-half  of  crew  lands  to  perform  mass  at.251-252 

St.  Nicholas,  Harbor  of 211 

St.  Paul  quoted  to  disprove  existence  of  antipodes 73 

St.  Stephen,   Dominican  convent  of,   Columbus  enter 
tained  in 63-64 

St.  Thomas,  Fortress  of 342 

Talavera,  Fernando  de,  decision  of  junto  delayed  by. ...  78 
ordered  by  King  Ferdinand  to  give  definite  decision, 

and  reports  unfavorably  on  Columbus'  project.  .  .  80 

authorized  to  negotiate  with  Columbus 109 

Territorial  rights,  complications  "over,  between  Spain'and 

Portugal 315 

Third  voyage,  perils  of 381 

Torres,  Antonio  de,  returns  to  Spain  with  twelve  vessels 

of  squadron 339 

Torres,  Luis  de,  sent  into  the  interior  of  Cuba  by  Colum 
bus,  in  search  of  Grand  Khan 207 

Tortugas,  Columbus  lands  at  island  of 215 

Toscanelli,  Paulo,  maps  of 52 

correspondence  of  Columbus  with 52 

Tours,  Moslem  conquest  checked  at 3 

Triana,  Roderigo  de,  first  to  see  land  of  the  western 

world 191 

Tribute  imposed  upon  natives  by  Columbus 365 

Trinidad,  La,  discovery  of 383 

Valladolid,  Isabella  flees  to  67 

Columbus  expires  at 443 

Variation  of  compass 166 

Variation  of  compass  explained  by  Columbus  to  pilots . .  168 

Vegetation,  Columbus  pleased  with  advanced  state  of. .  343 

Vegetation  of  the  New  World  described 344 


464  HISTORICAL  INDEX 

Veragua,  Columbus  returns  to  coast  of 423 

exploration  of,  by  Don  Bartholomew 423 

Columbus'  contemplated  report  to  sovereigns  of . .  .  424 
Columbus  abandons  colony  at,  anc1  sails  for  His- 

paniola 426 

Village,  an  Andalusian,  illustration 9 

Villages,  sacked  by  Moors. 9 

Villejo,  Alonzo  de  is  appointed  to  conduct  Columbus  to 

Spain 396 

Villena,  Marquis  of,  threatened  imprisonment  for  Isabella       6 

Vows  of  Columbus  and  crew 247-248 

Weeds  seen  floating 170 

Wise  men  of  Salamanca,  the,  arguments  of,  in  reply  to 

Columbus 71-74 

Yucatan,  Columbus  visited  by  natives  of 417 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


BEC'D  LO-Um. 

068 


APR  1  8  19 


Form  L-9-15m-ll,'27 


A     000  291  593     2 


